Out of more than 5,300 applicants, only 18 have been selected for further consideration for the position of CEO of the Ram temple trust.

On Monday, sources from the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust revealed that 18 individuals have been shortlisted for the interview to become the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The trust had received a staggering 5,300 applications for this prestigious position, and after careful consideration, the screening committee has narrowed down the list to 18 potential candidates. It is believed that candidates with prior administrative experience will have a higher chance of being selected for the role.

The interviews will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday at the temple premises, and the panel conducting the interviews includes former Justice Pramod Kohli, Lieutenant General Vishnukant Chaturvedi, and scientist Suresh Haware, who is also the former chairman of the Shirdi Sai Baba Trust. The primary responsibility of the CEO will be to oversee the administration and management of the Ram temple, including all its affairs and businesses. The selected candidate must be a practicing Hindu and must adhere to Hindu traditions and guidelines strictly.

Additionally, the candidate must also be a vegetarian and abstain from alcohol. The sources also mentioned that the age requirement for the position is between 50 to 70 years. This decision was made after the trust officials decided to appoint a CEO following the embezzlement of Ram temple donations that came to light in June.

To investigate these allegations, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a Special Investigation Team on June 13, and they were given 15 days to complete their probe. After the preliminary report was submitted on June 23, an FIR was registered on June 25, and eight individuals were arrested. They were identified as Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava, and Ramashankar Yadav, also known as Tinnu Yadav.

During the course of the investigation, the police seized cash, gold, silver, and foreign currency from multiple accused, with the highest amount of Rs. 20.39 lakh being recovered from Shukla. It is evident that the trust is taking all necessary measures to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of the temple.

The appointment of a CEO and the strict criteria for the position is a step towards achieving this goal. As the trust continues to move forward with their plans for the Ram temple, it is reassuring to see that they are taking the necessary steps to prevent any such incidents in the future.