Uttar Pradesh Temple Land Encroachment Case

In March 2025, a scandal erupted in Uttar Pradesh, India, involving the illegal transfer of prime temple land. Former revenue official Ravi Shankar Gupta, temple head Swami Dayanand Saraswati, and a real estate firm were accused of forging documents to transfer the ancient temple's property to private developers. Investigations revealed that certain temple trust members colluded with officials to manipulate land records. Local police registered a case under the Indian Penal Code for cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. The encroachment threatened a centuries-old religious site, triggering immediate public outrage and protests by Hindu groups. The state government ordered a speedy trial and a review of all religious land registrations. A court issued an interim order halting any construction and maintaining status quo. The case highlighted vulnerabilities in protecting religious endowments from land mafias.

As of June 2026, the trial is ongoing in a special court. Key accused, including the former revenue official and the temple head, are in judicial custody. An interim order has frozen the land’s status and barred any commercial development. The state government has pledged to restore the property to the temple trust upon conviction.

The central dispute was whether the land belonged to the temple trust or was legally acquired by the developer. This hinged on the authenticity of sale deeds and revenue records, and the alleged collusion between temple insiders and government officials to bypass legal safeguards for religious property.

The case sparked widespread anger among Hindu organizations, leading to large-scale protests and demands for a crackdown on land mafias. It prompted the state government to conduct a comprehensive audit of all temple and waqf land records. Public discourse intensified around the need for stricter anti-encroachment laws and greater transparency in managing religious endowments.