A Chennai-based woman donated a cheque worth ₹4 crore to the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, but the cheque bounced after bank authorities found her account balance was only ₹3, according to livemint.com. Despite this, she separately donated ₹10,000 in cash. The incident occurred just before the temple's first chief executive officer (CEO) was appointed on Wednesday.
The woman, who is from Coimbatore, intended the ₹4 crore donation to benefit the temple workers. However, the cheque bounced when presented to the bank due to insufficient funds. The separate cash donation of ₹10,000 was accepted without issue. The temple trust has not commented publicly on the matter, but the episode has drawn attention given the large cheque amount and the minimal bank balance.
This unusual case highlights challenges in donation verification for large religious projects like the Ram Mandir, which has attracted significant public contributions. The temple's trust recently faced scrutiny over donation management, making this incident notable. The appointment of the temple's first CEO marks a new phase in its administration, aiming to improve transparency and operational efficiency.
The Ram Mandir's first CEO will take charge on Wednesday, overseeing the temple's administration and donation processes. The bounced ₹4 crore cheque incident underscores the importance of robust financial controls as the temple prepares for increased public engagement and funding.