Ayodhya/Lucknow, June 25 : An FIR (First Information Report) has been registered following allegations of pilferage of offerings at the Ayodhya Ram Temple, and two accused were arrested on Thursday. The FIR names eight accused, including six temple employees responsible for counting cash.

The case, filed at the direction of the Uttar Pradesh government, stems from a formal complaint by Krishna Mohan, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

Anukalp Mishra and Lavkush Mishra have been arrested, while a search is underway for the remaining accused, including Ramshankar Yadav, who works as the driver of Trust General Secretary Champat Rai.

The other accused are Avinash Shukla, Ramshankar Mishra, Manish Yadav, Subhash Chandra Srivastava and Karunesh Pandey.

According to the complaint, all eight were allegedly caught embezzling money on CCTV footage.

The FIR has been registered under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 306, 316(5), 317(4), 317(5), 61 and 3(5).

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has strongly denied any financial irregularities and had demanded a fair and impartial investigation.

This development comes just two days after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) submitted its preliminary inquiry report to the Uttar Pradesh government.

The report was handed over by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad.

In response, the Uttar Pradesh government had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

During its probe, the SIT questioned several individuals, including Trust General Secretary Champat Rai.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had emphasised that the SIT investigation would bring complete clarity to the matter.

â??Nothing should be said that hurts the sentiments of Lord Ramâ??s devotees. If anyone has any evidence, they should present it before the SIT,â?? he had said.

With the FIR now registered and fresh documents submitted to the SIT, the probe into the sensitive Ram Temple donation matter has entered a more intensive phase.

/IANS