The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a series of petitions on July 20 calling for a transparent and time-bound investigation into the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
According to the apex court’s official cause list, a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana will preside over the four separate pleas. The scheduled hearing follows a July 13 decision by the top court to take up the matter, at which point it directed the state-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) to submit a comprehensive progress report.
During the previous proceedings, the court also issued a formal notice seeking a response from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the body that manages the temple’s administration and finances. The bench noted that because multiple police complaints had already been registered and a state-level SIT formed, the state panel must present its current findings directly to the court.
Demands For Federal Probes And Financial Audits
The petitions collectively demand a high-level, independent inquiry into the trust’s financial dealings, though they differ on the specific oversight mechanisms.
One petitioner, Narendra Kumar Goswami, has approached the apex court seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Goswami has also requested a formal audit of the trust’s accounts by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).
Another joint petition, filed by Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, argues for the creation of a multi-disciplinary, CBI-led investigative team to look into allegations of financial misconduct and other administrative illegalities.
Similarly, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Member of Parliament Sudhakar Singh has requested a Supreme Court-monitored CBI investigation, accompanied by a comprehensive forensic audit of the temple trust’s entire financial framework. A fourth petition, submitted by the Hindu Dharma Parishad, also seeks a court-monitored inquiry into the allegations.
Origin Of The State Investigation
The current probe was initiated following public allegations that donations designated for the Ayodhya Ram temple had been embezzled. On June 13, the Uttar Pradesh state government established the state-level SIT to look into the matter.
The panel was formed following a formal request from the temple trust itself, which sought a state inquiry into the claims of financial misappropriation. The three-member investigative team is led by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, alongside Inspector General of Police Kiran S and Special Secretary of Finance Neel Ratan.
