Claim
The accused counting staff got their jobs on Champat Rai's recommendation but were formally hired by the State Bank through Varanasi's Sainik Security Agency, whose owner Gaurav Singh says the bank had asked him for housekeeping staff, not donation counters.
“इनको नौकरी तो चंपत राय की सिफारिश पर मिली। लेकिन इन सबको वाराणसी की सैनिक सिक्योरिटी एजेंसी के जरिए स्टेट बैंक ने हायर किया था... सैनिक सिक्योरिटी एजेंसी के मालिक गौरव सिंह का कहना है कि बैंक ने उनसे हाउसकीपिंग स्टाफ मांगा था।”▶ Watch source segment
Rationale
Contemporaneous reporting (Amar Ujala, TV9, KTV Varanasi, Business Today, dated 1-2 July 2026) corroborates each element of the anchor's account: six of the eight arrested counting staff were employees of Varanasi's Sainik Security agency engaged by SBI; agency owner Gaurav Singh publicly stated his contract with the bank was for housekeeping/cleaning staff (22 people), not donation counters; and multiple outlets report the accused obtained their positions through recommendations routed via trust officials including Champat Rai. The Champat Rai recommendation element is an investigative allegation rather than an established finding, and Gaurav Singh himself attributed the staff list to SBI's branch manager, but the anchor presents it consistently with what was being reported as of the broadcast date. Dedicated fact-checkers (AltNews, BOOM, Factly) had not contradicted this account.
Evidence
- https://www.amarujala.com/uttar-pradesh/varanasi/ram-mandir-donation-theft-state-bank-had-engaged-sainik-security-firm-for-housekeeping-services-in-varanasi-2026-07-02 Amar Ujala (2026-07-02) reports SBI had engaged Varanasi's Sainik Security firm for housekeeping services, and the accused counting staff came through this agency — matching the anchor's account of the hiring chain. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://www.ktvvaranasi.com/2026/07/Ram%20Mandir%20donation%20counting%20case%206%20of%20the%208%20arrested%20individuals%20are%20employees%20of%20a%20Varanasi-based%20security%20agency%20agency%20issues%20clarification..html Reports 6 of the 8 arrested were employees of the Varanasi-based Sainik Security agency; owner Gaurav Singh clarified his contract was with SBI, that the 22 people were hired for cleaning/housekeeping work, and that names came on the SBI branch manager's written instructions. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://www.tv9hindi.com/state/uttar-pradesh/ram-mandir-trust-deed-rules-alleged-irregularities-recommendation-based-jobs-donation-theft-case-3838712.html TV9 reports jobs in the counting operation were given on recommendation without formal selection — aspirants were introduced to Champat Rai, then sent to Anil Mishra, after which they got jobs — supporting the 'recommendation' element of the claim. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/trends/story/ram-mandir-donation-scam-sbi-flagged-cash-counting-staff-3-months-before-arrests-540273-2026-07-01 Business Today confirms the broader case context: alleged mastermind Tinnu Yadav was Champat Rai's driver, arrests of counting staff, and SBI's role in the counting operation. ✓ reachable · archived