Tensions Erupt In UP's Rampur As Gurdwara Faces Rs 3 Crore Money Laundering Allegation
A storm is brewing in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur district, where allegations of a multi-crore embezzlement have deepened the management dispute at Gurdwara Shaheed Baba Deep Singh in the Bilaspur area.
The controversy, centring on alleged misappropriation of donations worth several crores of rupees, has already led to violent clashes between rival factions. The matter has escalated to such an extent that complaints have reached Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Members of the gurdwara’s management committee have accused the district administration of colluding with one faction to siphon off more than Rs 3 crore in donations. In a dramatic protest, they have put up banners appealing for public donations to fund legal action against the police and administration.
Tensions flared again on Tuesday when two groups clashed inside the gurdwara premises. In the chaos, several women were seen chasing and beating two other women. Police forces have since been deployed at the gurdwara to maintain order.
The Root of the Dispute
According to sewadars and the management committee of the Gurdwara Shaheed Baba Deep Singh in Pasiyapura, Nawabganj, the shrine receives donations of around Rs 25 lakh each month. However, for the past 13 months, the individual appointed by the district administration to oversee the gurdwara’s operations has reportedly failed to present any financial accounts, sparking the ongoing conflict.
Recently, members of the committee travelled to Lucknow to meet Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and brief him about the issue. Following their intervention, an investigation was ordered, and control of the gurdwara was restored to the management committee. Yet the committee continues to demand a full accounting of donations collected over the past 13 months.
Committee members have levelled serious allegations against a local politician and police officials, accusing them of conspiring to misappropriate crores of rupees donated to the gurdwara. Despite repeated requests for answers, local police officers have declined to comment publicly on the matter. Meanwhile, tensions remain high around the gurdwara premises due to the ongoing dispute over management control.
Members of the Sikh community allege that donations totalling several crores of rupees have been misappropriated over more than a year. Shockingly, white-collar politicians, officials, and other influential local figures have also been named in these accusations.
Chief Minister Steps In
Gurdwara committee members claim they made multiple appeals to the administration, elected representatives, and even Minister Baldev Singh Aulakh, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. In the end, they sought justice directly from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Recognising the gravity of the allegations, the Chief Minister ordered an investigation led by Moradabad Commissioner Anjaneya Kumar Singh. Following the inquiry, management of the gurdwara was returned to the committee.
During the tenure of former Rampur District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandal, a monitoring committee was established, which documented Rs 2.5 crore deposited into the gurdwara’s account over 11 months. However, after his transfer, no records emerged for the next 13 months, nor were funds deposited into the bank account.
Committee members allege that approximately Rs 3.5 crore was siphoned off during this period, claiming that former caretaker Devendra Singh Fauji and several officials colluded in the misappropriation. They also accuse the local administration of trying to suppress the matter.
Furthermore, the committee revealed attempts by certain individuals to encroach upon land belonging to Gurdwara No. 56, by falsely claiming it fell under the jurisdiction of Gurdwara No. 57, fuelling additional disputes. Court rulings and the commissioner’s inquiry have since confirmed that the gurdwara is indeed located on plot No. 56.
The committee insists it will continue pressing for a thorough investigation into the alleged misappropriation over the past 13 months, determined to bring the truth to light.
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