Supreme Court to Hear Pleas Seeking Probe into Ram Temple Donation Theft Row on July 20
The Supreme Court is scheduled to take up a batch of petitions on July 20 seeking an independent, fair and time-bound investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations received by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. The matter has assumed considerable public importance amid an ongoing probe by the Uttar Pradesh government’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) and recent arrests in connection with the alleged financial irregularities.
The petitions have been filed by different individuals, including advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, petitioner Narendra Kumar Goswami, and RJD MP Sudhakar Singh. While some petitioners have sought a Supreme Court-monitored CBI investigation, others have also requested a forensic audit and a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit of the finances of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, alleging that the issues involve public donations made by millions of devotees and therefore warrant enhanced transparency.
During the previous hearing, a Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohan, did not immediately transfer the investigation to the CBI. Instead, the Court directed the Uttar Pradesh SIT to file a status report detailing the progress of its investigation. The Bench also issued notices to the Union Government, the State of Uttar Pradesh, and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, seeking their responses to the allegations raised in the petitions.
The Supreme Court’s decision to seek a status report indicates that it intends to first evaluate the effectiveness and progress of the ongoing SIT investigation before deciding whether a court-monitored CBI probe or any other independent investigative mechanism is warranted. The petitioners have argued that the SIT may not possess adequate forensic and financial investigation capabilities to examine complex allegations involving alleged diversion and misappropriation of donation funds.
Meanwhile, the SIT investigation has continued to gather pace. A trial court recently granted 39 hours of police custody to accused Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav and Manish Yadav for custodial interrogation. Investigators have stated that the questioning is intended to trace the alleged money trail, recover additional evidence and identify any wider conspiracy. Separately, the SIT has sought additional time to complete its investigation, citing the complexity of the case and the need for further scrutiny of financial records and evidence.
The petitions before the Supreme Court contend that the alleged financial irregularities extend beyond ordinary criminal allegations because they concern public donations made in trust by millions of devotees across the country. According to the petitioners, maintaining public confidence in the administration of charitable and religious institutions requires a transparent, credible and independent investigation. They have therefore urged the Court to ensure that any inquiry inspires public confidence and is completed within a fixed timeframe.
The hearing on July 20 is expected to focus on the SIT’s status report, the responses filed by the concerned authorities, and the petitioners’ demand for an independent investigation. The Supreme Court may decide whether the existing SIT probe should continue under judicial supervision or whether the circumstances justify transferring the investigation to another agency such as the CBI. The proceedings are likely to have significant implications for the future course of the investigation and the governance of one of India’s most prominent religious trusts.
