Supreme Court seeks UP SIT status report on Ram Temple donation theft probe
The Supreme Court directed the Uttar Pradesh government's Special Investigation Team (SIT) to submit a status report on its probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations received by the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohan also issued a notice to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on petitions seeking a fair, independent and time-bound investigation into the alleged donation theft.
Three separate petitions have been filed before the apex court. One petitioner, Narendra Kumar Goswami, sought a CBI investigation along with a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit of the Trust's finances. Another plea by advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav sought a Supreme Court-monitored CBI-led Special Investigation Team, while a third petition filed by RJD MP Sudhakar Singh sought a forensic audit of the Trust's accounts.
The petitioners argued that reports of alleged financial irregularities have raised concerns among devotees and donors and called for stronger regulatory, supervisory and audit mechanisms to safeguard public confidence.
The pleas also questioned the functioning of the UP government's SIT, stating that it began its inquiry without the registration of an FIR or a regular criminal case.
The Uttar Pradesh government had constituted the three-member SIT on June 13 following a request from the temple trust after allegations of misappropriation of donations surfaced. The SIT is headed by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant and includes Inspector General of Police Kiran S and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan.
The matter will be taken up again after the SIT submits its status report to the Supreme Court.
