The Supreme Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh Special Investigation Team to submit a status report on alleged financial irregularities involving Ram Mandir donations. The court issued notices to the central and state governments along with the temple trust following petitions seeking a CBI probe. Investors and stakeholders are tracking the legal developments as they involve the financial oversight of the institution.
The Supreme Court on Monday intervened in the ongoing scrutiny of donations received for the Ayodhya Ram Mandir. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, alongside Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, sought a formal status report from the Uttar Pradesh Special Investigation Team (SIT) regarding the alleged embezzlement of funds.
Notices Issued to Key Stakeholders
Beyond the demand for a status report, the court issued formal notices to the Central government, the Uttar Pradesh state government, and the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. This legal action follows a series of public interest litigations (PILs) filed by various petitioners, including advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, as well as RJD MP Sudhakar Singh. The primary demand driving these petitions is for an independent investigation into the temple's financial management by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Concerns Over Investigative Infrastructure
The petitioners have raised concerns regarding the current scope and capabilities of the state-level investigation. Arguments presented before the bench suggest that the existing SIT may lack the specific forensic and financial investigative infrastructure required to handle complex audits of this nature. Additionally, some petitioners pointed out that the current inquiry was initiated without the registration of a First Information Report (FIR), which they argue could potentially impact the legal weight of any future findings. These concerns were compared by petitioners to the recent handling of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam ghee row, where investigative oversight was shifted to a multidisciplinary team led by the CBI.
Requests for Financial Transparency and Oversight
The court has also been asked to issue interim directions to ensure the protection and preservation of all relevant documentation. This includes donation registers, financial ledgers, bank records, and digital assets such as CCTV footage. Furthermore, plea submissions have suggested the establishment of a court-monitored committee. This committee, if formed, would ideally consist of retired judicial officers and financial experts tasked with overseeing the administrative and financial affairs of the Trust while the investigation remains active. Proposals have also been put forward for the Trust to regularly update its website with audited financial statements to ensure transparency while maintaining donor privacy. The next steps will depend on the responses filed by the notified parties and the details presented in the SIT status report.