The Supreme Court of India on Monday suggested that a high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) oversee the ongoing investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations for the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The court also strongly cautioned litigants against politicizing the matter, emphasizing that the case is a straightforward criminal investigation.
A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, to obtain instructions on whether the initial SIT could be tasked with the main probe instead of the local police. The bench highlighted that the initial SIT, which included the Lucknow Inspector General of Police and two senior IAS officers, would ensure greater fairness and transparency.
Warning against political exploitation of the legal proceedings, Chief Justice Surya Kant stated that courts are not a venue for politics. He clarified that the judiciary’s sole objective is to guarantee a proper investigation into what remains a simple criminal offense.
Status Of The Investigation
During the hearing, Solicitor General Mehta submitted a status report on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government. He informed the bench that eight individuals have been arrested so far in connection with the case. He clarified that while the state-constituted SIT had initially examined the allegations to verify their credibility and found a cognizable offense, the active investigation was subsequently transferred to the local police.
Demands For Financial Transparency
The bench also addressed a request from senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for one of the petitioners, who urged the court to direct the preservation and online publication of all donation receipts. The court stated it would review this request and potentially issue directions when the matter is next heard on Monday.
The litigation involves multiple petitions raising concerns over the management of funds by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Petitioner Narendra Kumar Goswami has sought an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alongside an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
Background Of The Dispute
Other petitioners, including advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, have requested a multi-disciplinary SIT led by the CBI to investigate potential illegalities, arguing that the reports of missing funds have distressed millions of devotees. Separately, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Member of Parliament Sudhakar Singh filed a petition seeking a court-monitored CBI investigation and a forensic audit of the trust’s accounts.
The Uttar Pradesh government had originally set up the administrative SIT on June 13 following misappropriation allegations. The panel comprised Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S., and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan. The Supreme Court had previously issued notices to the temple trust and demanded a status report from the state police on July 13.
