The Supreme Court directed the Uttar Pradesh SIT to submit a status report on the alleged Ram Mandir donation theft and misappropriation case. It also issued notice to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, seeking its response to the petitions.
The Supreme Court directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Uttar Pradesh government to submit a status report on its investigation into allegations of misappropriation of donation funds related to the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohna, also issued a notice to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in response to pleas seeking a fair and time-bound probe into the so-called donations theft controversy.
The Top Court directed,
“Issue notice. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta accepts notice. Issue notice to Teerth Kshetra trust. Let a status report be filed. We direct SIT constituted by State of UP to submit a status report before this court. The SIT shall also have member composition,”
Narendra Kumar Goswami, one of the three petitioners, approached the apex court requesting a CBI investigation. He also prayed for a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit of the finances of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Theerth Kshetra Trust, which oversees the temple’s affairs.
Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav filed a second petition seeking similar relief.
In the third petition filed by RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, the petitioner sought, in addition to a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe, a forensic audit of the trust’s entire finances.
Earlier, a partial working-day bench headed by Justice B.V. Nagarathna asked one of the petitioners to mention the matter for urgent consideration on a later date.
The petitions were filed by practising advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav. They stated that a CBI-led multi-disciplinary SIT should examine alleged financial irregularities and other purported illegalities pertaining to the trust’s functioning and administration.
The petition also sought directions to the Centre, the Uttar Pradesh government and the trust to establish and operationalise such regulatory, supervisory and audit mechanisms as may be required to protect public interest and preserve the confidence of millions of devotees and donors.
The plea said,
“The allegations, whether or not they are ultimately found to be true, have caused deep concern among the generations that struggled for the restoration of the glory of Ayodhya,”
It further submitted that the SIT constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government began its inquiry without registering an FIR or any other regular criminal case.
The petition argued that the issues involved may relate not only to possible commission of cognisable offences, but also directly impact the faith, sentiments and trust of countless devotees and the wider public.
Earlier, On June 13, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted the SIT on a request from the temple trust after allegations of misappropriation of donations received at the Ram temple.
The SIT includes Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S, and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan.
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