The Supreme Court on Monday directed a Special Investigation Team set up by the Uttar Pradesh government to submit a progress report on its inquiry into the alleged embezzlement of funds donated to the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohna also issued formal notices to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which oversees the temple, in response to multiple petitions seeking an independent and time-bound investigation into the alleged theft of donations.
Demands For Independent Audits And CBI Inquiry
The court’s intervention follows three separate petitions raising concerns over financial management at the temple. One of the petitions, filed by Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Sudhakar Singh, has requested a Supreme Court-monitored investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation along with a comprehensive forensic audit of the temple trust’s entire finances.
Another petitioner, Narendra Kumar Goswami, has similarly approached the top court to demand a CBI-led probe and a formal audit of the trust’s financial records by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
A third joint petition, filed by practicing advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, also calls for a multi-disciplinary SIT led by the CBI to investigate the purported financial irregularities and administrative illegalities within the trust.
Concerns Raised Over Existing State Investigation
The petitioners have expressed reservations regarding the current state-level inquiry. The Uttar Pradesh government established its own SIT on June 13 following a request from the temple trust itself, after allegations of misappropriation surfaced. This team consists of Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S, and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan.
However, the petition filed by Rai and Yadav pointed out that the state-appointed SIT began its probe without registering a First Information Report or initiating a formal criminal case. They have urged the court to direct the central government, the Uttar Pradesh administration, and the temple trust to establish robust regulatory, supervisory, and auditing mechanisms to protect public interest and preserve donor confidence.
According to the petitioners, the allegations of missing funds directly impact the sentiments and trust of millions of devotees. They asserted that even the unverified reports of irregularities have caused deep distress to generations of people who supported the restoration of Ayodhya.
Earlier, a partial working day bench led by Justice B V Nagarathna had instructed the petitioners to bring up the case for an urgent hearing at a later date.
