The Supreme Court has agreed to consider a request from the Uttar Pradesh government to postpone hearings on a series of petitions demanding a court-monitored investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana was informed on Monday that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who represents the state government in the matter, is currently abroad attending a United Nations event as part of an official delegation. Representing the state, a lawyer requested the court to reschedule the listed matters for the following week, a plea the bench agreed to give consideration.
Special Investigation Team Directives
The development follows directives issued by the apex court on July 27, when it noted the formation of a four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Inspector General of Police Kiran S. The court instructed the state government to include a forensic auditor within the investigative body to ensure complete transparency, mandate necessary remedial measures, and submit a status report within two weeks.
Earlier Court Actions And Arrests
In prior proceedings on July 20, the court examined the feasibility of entrusting the probe to the SIT rather than local police, cautioning all parties against politicizing the matter and emphasizing that judicial proceedings must remain focused strictly on proper criminal investigation. State legal representatives had informed the bench during that hearing that eight individuals had been arrested as part of the ongoing probe, which commenced before the formal filing of a First Information Report.
The legal proceedings originated on July 13, when the top court directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to present an initial status report and issued notices to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the official body overseeing temple affairs.
Petitions Seeking Independent Audits
The court is currently evaluating three separate petitions urging high-level oversight of the temple trust’s financial records. Petitioner Narendra Kumar Goswami has requested a investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) along with a financial audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General. A second petition, filed jointly by Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, raises similar demands. Additionally, Rashtriya Janata Dal Member of Parliament Sudhakar Singh has petitioned for a Supreme Court-monitored CBI inquiry and a complete forensic audit of the trust’s overall finances.
