Supreme court to hear pleas seeking independent probe into Ram Temple Trust finances on July 13
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on July 13 a batch of petitions seeking an independent investigation into alleged financial irregularities in the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
The petitions have been listed before a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.
Among the petitions is a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, as well as a separate plea by RJD MP Sudhakar Singh. The petitioners have sought a court-monitored, independent probe into alleged financial irregularities involving donations received by the Trust.
The pleas seek directions for preserving all financial and digital records, including donation registers, bank records, audit reports and CCTV footage, during the course of the investigation. They have also called for stronger audit and oversight mechanisms to ensure transparency in the management of public donations.
The matter had earlier been mentioned before the apex court for an urgent hearing during the summer vacation. However, the court declined to take it up immediately, observing that it would be listed after the completion of procedural requirements.
The hearing comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the Trust's financial management. The Uttar Pradesh government had earlier constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine allegations related to donations and financial transactions, while the Trust has maintained that it remains committed to transparency in its functioning.
