Amid the controversy over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple, the state government on Saturday constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the issue on the request of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.The Trust stated that this is a deep conspiracy to damage the image of the Teerth Kshetra and hurt the faith of millions of devotees, and thus it is essential to expose it. (FILE PHOTO)The SIT members are Lucknow divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, inspector general of police (Lucknow range) Kiran S and special secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan.The SIT will conduct a thorough inquiry into the entire matter and submit its report to the government.“It is noteworthy that, taking seriously the rumours being spread on social media regarding donation boxes at the Teerth Kshetra in Ayodhya, the Trust had requested chief minister Yogi Adityanath to constitute a Special Investigation Team for an impartial inquiry into the matter,” the state government said in a press statement issued on Saturday.ALSO READ | UP govt sanctions ₹4.22 crore to bolster Ram temple, VVIP security“A detailed investigation is necessary to stop the rumours and bring out the truth,” according to the Trust.The Trust stated that this is a deep conspiracy to damage the image of the Teerth Kshetra and hurt the faith of millions of devotees, and thus it is essential to expose it.As the controversy deepened and ₹10 lakh was recovered from a cash-counting employee’s residence in Ayodhya on Friday, the state government took the decision to constitute the SIT.The controversy got political traction when Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav raised it through a post on X on June 7. In his post, he expressed concern over allegations of irregularities in donations worth crores and termed the situation for the temple trust “shameful”.Responding to the issue the same day, Trust general secretary Champat Rai had said that an internal audit of the trust is conducted from time to time. The audit work continues for several days and the same exercise is currently underway, Rai said, adding that nothing notable had come to light thus far.“Only an impartial probe by the SIT could bring to justice those involved in the scam. A probe by the Trust will face several questions,” said a Trust member.ALSO READ | Ram temple trust says 'open to probe' after Akhilesh Yadav claims donation funds missingEarlier, on Friday, Uttar Pradesh agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi, who is the minister in charge of Ayodhya district, said, “If the Trust expects any assistance or action from the government, the government will consider it.”Nripendra Misra, chairman of Ram Mandir Construction Committee, reached Ayodhya on Saturday for a two-day meeting of the temple construction committee.When asked about the donation issue and what would be discussed in the meeting, Misra said: “This is a construction committee meeting, I only look after construction (work of Ram Mandir).” The meeting will continue till Sunday.This is Misra’s second visit to Ayodhya in less than a week. He was in Ayodhya on June 8-9 when the controversy broke out.