The Supreme Court on Monday instructed the Special Investigation Team examining allegations of donation embezzlement at the Ram temple in Ayodhya to conclude its inquiry promptly and bring the case to a logical resolution.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana ordered the investigative body to submit its latest progress status report in a sealed cover. The bench also directed the panel to objectively evaluate suggestions offered by various litigants to improve the quality and transparency of the probe.
Furthermore, the apex court indicated that after reviewing the upcoming status report, it may formulate directives aimed at reforming the management of financial contributions made by visiting devotees at the Ayodhya shrine.
Timeline Of Judicial Intervention
The court-appointed investigation follows a series of hearings held throughout July. On July 27, the apex court formally took note of the establishment of the four-member Special Investigation Team, which is headed by Inspector General of Police Kiran S.
During the July 27 hearing, the bench emphasized that corrective measures and mechanisms to guarantee transparency were required. It directed the Uttar Pradesh government to include a forensic auditor within the team and mandated a status report within a two-week timeframe.
This followed an inquiry on July 20, when the bench asked the state administration to explore the feasibility of forming a Special Investigation Team. Earlier on July 13, the court had ordered the Uttar Pradesh Police to submit an initial status report while issuing formal notice to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust regarding the allegations.
Demands For Financial Audit
Judicial proceedings were initiated after public allegations of financial irregularities in handling temple funds led multiple petitioners to approach the apex court.
Among those seeking judicial intervention is Rashtriya Janata Dal Member of Parliament Sudhakar Singh. The petitioners have requested a comprehensive investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation along with an independent forensic audit of the temple trust’s financial records.
