Ram Mandir Trust Reshuffle: Jagdish Afale Set to Become Secretary Amid Donation Scam Probe

Ayodhya: In the wake of the alleged embezzlement of offerings at the Ram Mandir, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has initiated a major administrative overhaul. As part of the restructuring, the Trust has proposed the appointment of Jagdish Afale as its new Secretary, entrusting him with the temple’s day-to-day administrative responsibilities.

Currently serving as the Project Manager overseeing the Ram Mandir construction, Afale will report directly to Interim General Secretary Krishna Mohan. His appointment is expected to receive final approval from the Trust’s executive committee on September 2.

An RSS veteran, Jagdish Afale holds an M.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Bombay and has worked with several reputed companies in India and abroad. After retiring from the corporate sector, he joined the Ram Mandir project and has been supervising its construction. Afale has said he will address the media only after the Trust takes a final decision on his appointment.

The Trust has also clarified its long-discussed proposal to appoint a saint as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). While the CEO will hold an official administrative role, the individual will not be inducted as a member of the Trust. The CEO selection process has been postponed by a month, with a final decision to be taken after reviewing 5,200 applications received for the post.

The administrative changes come amid an ongoing SIT investigation into the alleged misappropriation of Ram Mandir donations. An FIR has been registered, and eight accused have been arrested so far. The controversy had earlier led to the resignations of former General Secretary Champat Rai and Trustee Dr. Anil Mishra. The Trust has also decided to appoint an official spokesperson, with the selection process now being fast-tracked.