Ayodhya donation row: SC to take up plea for fair, time-bound probe on June 29
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked a petitioner to mention before it on June 29 his plea seeking registration of an FIR, and a fair and time-bound probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The matter was mentioned for urgent listing before a bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi. The petition, filed by practising advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, said a CBI-led multi-disciplinary special investigation team (SIT) should investigate the alleged financial irregularities and other purported illegalities concerning the affairs and administration of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
On Thursday, one of the petitioners mentioned the matter and urged the bench that the plea be listed for hearing on June 29.
“This is a PIL (public interest litigation) and it relates to the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. It has been numbered but no date is shown,” the petitioner said.
The bench observed if there was no deficiency in the plea, the registry would process it.
“Please approach the registry. If the deficiency is removed, it will be listed,” the bench said. The petitioner said the plea was registered and there were no deficiencies.
When he requested that the matter be listed for hearing on June 29, the bench said, “You mention it on Monday (June 29)”.
The petition has sought directions to the Centre, the Uttar Pradesh government and the Trust for constituting and operationalising such regulatory, supervisory and audit mechanisms as may be necessary to safeguard public interest and maintain the confidence of millions of devotees and donors.
“Whether or not the reports regarding missing funds and other alleged irregularities concerning the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust are ultimately found to be true, such reports have caused deep concern among the generations that struggled for the restoration of the glory of Ayodhya,” the plea stated.
It said the SIT constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government has commenced its inquiry into the matter without the registration of an FIR or any regular criminal case.
The plea said the veracity of reports concerning alleged missing funds and other purported irregularities involving the Trust ought to be independently verified through a professional investigation conducted by a unified agency possessing the requisite expertise, resources and institutional mechanisms for handling complex financial and criminal investigations.
“Such an inquiry would inspire greater public confidence than a preliminary probe conducted by a special investigation team (SIT) comprising administrative officers who may not possess specialised credentials in criminal investigation,” the plea said.
It said the issues involved not only concern the possible commission of cognisable offences but also directly affect the faith, sentiments and confidence of countless devotees and the public.
On June 13, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted the SIT on a request from the temple trust following allegations of misappropriation of donations received at the Ayodhya Ram temple.
The SIT comprises Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S and Finance Department Special Secretary Neel Ratan.
