Ram Mandir donation theft case has entered a crucial financial scrutiny phase, with police seeking five years of banking records from seven banks linked to the accused and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Investigators are examining bank transactions, cash deposits, withdrawals and fund transfers to determine whether devotees' donations were diverted. Amid the expanding probe, the Ayodhya Bar Association has passed a resolution demanding a court-monitored CBI investigation into the Trust's financial affairs. The Bar has also announced that its members will not represent the accused, warning that any lawyer who does so will face a ₹5 lakh penalty per accused.

A controversy has erupted within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after the party leadership reportedly sought to freeze its bank accounts amid an escalating internal rebellion and leadership crisis. According to reports, former TMC treasurer Aroop Biswas has written to HDFC Bank requesting an immediate freeze on the party's accounts. The move comes as the leadership attempts to safeguard party funds amid concerns that rival factions could claim to be the legitimate office-bearers and potentially seek access to financial resources. The development marks a significant escalation in the internal power struggle that has intensified following the party's recent organizational restructuring. The letter reportedly highlights concerns over pre-signed blank cheques kept at the party headquarters for administrative purposes, raising fears that the ongoing internal conflict could spill over into the party's financial operations. WATCH