SBI is one of the main banking partners of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The bank’s Ayodhya branch manages deposits of around ₹890 crore belonging to the Trust. It is also responsible for collecting, counting, and processing the daily cash donations received through the temple’s donation boxes (hundis).
The alleged theft of cash donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has brought the local branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) under close scrutiny. SBI is responsible for handling and counting the cash donations offered by devotees at the temple.
After the big donation scam, SBI has been chosen again to count cash donations at the temple. As per reports, SBI has removed all temporary staff involved in cash counting in Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and has posted permanent staff. Only permanent staff will count cash now in Ram Mandir. Earlier, contractual staff, hired through private companies, was also involved in cash counting.
Trust Reviews SBI’s Compliance
During a meeting held in Ayodhya on Wednesday, the Trust reviewed SBI’s responsibilities under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two parties. According to the Trust, SBI failed to fully follow the agreed procedures for handling and counting donations.
The Trust expressed disappointment over what it described as negligence by the bank. It stated that deviations from the approved system led to irregularities in the donation counting process. The Trust has also directed its finance committee to examine SBI’s compliance with the MoU and indicated that its partnership with the bank could be reconsidered if proper safeguards are not implemented.
Donation Counting System to Be Strengthened
Following the incident, the Trust has decided to strengthen the donation counting process to improve transparency and prevent similar incidents in the future. A new donation counting system has now been introduced under SBI’s supervision.
Senior SBI Officials Visit Ayodhya
After the Uttar Pradesh government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), senior SBI officials from the Lucknow Circle headquarters and the bank’s Varanasi office visited the Ayodhya branch. They examined whether there were any supervisory failures or violations of the standard operating procedures related to temple donations.
The officials reviewed records related to outsourced employees, cash movement, branch supervision, CCTV monitoring, and compliance with the bank’s operating procedures. An internal report has been prepared, although SBI’s Lucknow office has not officially commented on its findings.
Suspicious Activities Detected Earlier
According to senior officials, SBI had noticed suspicious activities involving some personnel engaged in counting temple donations nearly three months before the case became public.
During internal monitoring, the bank detected irregularities and recommended the removal of certain outsourced employees. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust was also informed about these concerns. Several corrective measures suggested during the internal investigation have already been implemented.
