SBI promptly reverses Rs 6 lakh stolen from Ram Temple Trust by fake cheque

Ram Temple Trust, which overlooks the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya was defrauded for Rs 6 lakh through two cheques.

Key Highlights

• The matter came to light when another cheque worth Rs 9.86 lakh was deposited in Bank of Baroda

• When SBI called Ram Temple authorities, they denied that a cheque with that number was issued

New Delhi: The State Bank of India (SBI), on Monday, deposited back the amount of Rs 6 lakh transferred from the account of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra by fake cheque and fake signature. 

"Heartfelt gratitude to the bank administration for prompt action," The Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said in a tweet. 

The swift action on behalf of the SBI came after the Ram Temple Trust, the body which overlooks the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, was defrauded of Rs 6 lakh in two fake cheques. As reported earlier by Times Now, two cheques of Rs 3.5 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh, were used to withdraw the amount from the trust's bank account.

"Yesterday, Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra secretary Champat Rai filed an FIR that an amount of Rs 6 lakh has been withdrawn from the trust's account using two fraud cheques - one of Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakh. The transactions were carried out in Lucknow in Punjab National Bank branch,"  Ayodhya's circle officer Rajesh Kumar earlier said.

The matter came to light after the SBI detected a fake cheque of Rs 9.86 lakh. The cheque was presented to Bank of Baroda on September 9. The bank subsequently called Champat Rai for verification, who confirmed that the cheque with that number was still present unissued in the chequebook.

VHP asks workers to remain vigilant, thwart fraud attempts

Meanwhile, in light of few more cases of fraud in the name of the Ram Temple, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, on Monday, directed its workers to educate people that no money collection drive has been undertaken by the organisation to raise funds for the construction of the temple. The clarification from the VHP came after cases emerged showing fraud money collection by individuals in the name of the Ram Temple.

According to agency reports, the VHP has set a target of reaching out to 10 crore families for which a countrywide movement has been launched. The organisation's spokesperson Binod Bansal, however, said that the drive is yet to begin.