Claim

The largest recovery in the offering theft was from Avinash Shukla, who is the only accused from whom donated US dollars ($121, worth about ₹17,000) were also recovered, along with a gold chain, a ring and a silver coin.

“चढ़ावे में चोरी की सबसे बड़ी रिकवरी अविनाश शुक्ला के पास से हुई है। हैरानी की बात यह है कि अविनाश शुक्ला इकलौता आरोपी है जिसके पास से दान में आए $121 भी मिले। रुपए में इन डॉलर्स की वैल्यू करीब ₹17,000 होती है।”

Rationale

The claim's core framing is partly right — Avinash Shukla did have the largest recovery (₹20.39 lakh cash plus gold chain, ring and silver item) in the Ayodhya Ram Mandir offering-theft case — but the specific dollar figure is wrong. Contemporaneous reports (Republic, TV9 UP, State Mirror, dated July 1–2, 2026) consistently state $1,121 in donated US dollars was recovered from Shukla, roughly ₹95,000 at prevailing rates, not $121 worth ₹17,000 as claimed; even $121 would be about ₹10,300, so the stated rupee value is internally inconsistent too. Additionally, an earlier Amar Ujala report said dollars were found at two-three accused's homes, weakening the 'only accused with dollars' assertion, though the later official recovery list attributes dollars only to Shukla.

Evidence

• https://www.tv9up.com/cities/lucknow/ram-mandir-donation-theft-sit-investigation-avinash-shukla-anukalp-mishra-karunesh-pandey-tinnu-yadav-article-32853.html Per-accused SIT recovery list in the Ram Mandir donation theft case: Avinash Shukla had the largest recovery — ₹20,39,220 cash plus 1,121 US dollars (not $121), two gold-like chains, a ring and a silver-like item; he is the only accused listed with dollars or jewellery. ✓ reachable · archived
• https://www.republicworld.com/india/over-20-lakh-cash-1121-usd-gold-seized-from-ram-mandir-donation-theft-scam-accused-avinash-shukla-2026-07-02-130932 Reports ₹20.39 lakh cash and $1,121 (in $100/$50/$20/$10/$5/$1 notes) plus gold and silver ornaments seized from Avinash Shukla, published July 2, 2026. ✓ reachable · archived
• https://www.statemirror.com/state/uttar-pradesh/ayodhya-ram-mandir-donation-theft-case-20-lakh-cash-1121-us-dollars-recovered-avinash-shukla-169452 Corroborates ₹20 lakh cash and 1,121 US dollars recovered from Avinash Shukla. ✓ reachable · archived
• https://www.amarujala.com/uttar-pradesh/ayodhya/ram-temple-offering-theft-avinash-was-found-with-the-maximum-amount-of-rs-20-lakh-some-dollars-were-also-fou-2026-06-27 Earlier June 27 report confirms Avinash Shukla had the maximum recovery (~₹20 lakh) but says 900–1,000 dollars were recovered from the homes of two-three accused, casting doubt on the 'only accused with dollars' framing. ✓ reachable · archived