The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the Uttar Pradesh Government, to submit a status report on alleged misappropriation of donations in Ram Janmbhumi Temple.
The Court also issued notices to the Union Government, the Uttar Pradesh Government and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on petitions seeking a CBI investigation into the ‘misappropriation’ of temple donations. A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohan heard the petitions.
Earlier, on the 13th of June, the Uttar Pradesh Government constituted a three-member SIT at the request of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust following allegations of misappropriation of temple donations. The SIT comprises Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S, and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan.
"Issue notice. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta accepts notice. Issue notice to Teerth Kshetra trust. Let a status report be filed. We direct SIT constituted by State of UP to submit a status report before this court. The SIT shall also have member composition," the Court directed.
At least three petitions were heard today on the issue.One of the petitions, filed by advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, arraigned Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the State of Uttar Pradesh and the Union of India as respondents.As per the plea, allegations of dishonest misappropriation, diversion and embezzlement of public donations meant for the construction of the Ram Temple warrant registration of a regular case and an independent, time-bound investigation.
According to the petitioners, though a special investigation team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh is already probing the allegations, the SIT lacks the forensic and investigative infrastructure required for a complex financial probe and that it commenced inquiry without registration of a first information report (FIR), leaving the evidentiary value of its findings vulnerable to challenge.
Drawing a parallel with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam adulterated ghee case, the petition referred to the Supreme Court's October 2024 order in Subramanian Swamy v. State of Andhra Pradesh, where the State SIT was substituted with an independent multidisciplinary SIT headed by the CBI.As per the plea, interim directions should be issued to the Trust and the State to preserve all physical, electronic and financial records, including donation registers, ledgers, CCTV footage, bank records and software databases.
Another petition was filed by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Member of Parliament Sudhakar Singh seeking transfer of the ongoing investigation CBI under the supervision of the Supreme Court.As per that plea, constitution of a temporary court-monitored oversight committee comprising retired judicial officers, financial experts and persons of “impeccable integrity” is necessary to oversee the Trust’s secular financial and administrative affairs during the pendency of the investigation.
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