Supreme Court to Revisit Ram Temple Donation Probe on June 29
Supreme Court Hearing on Ram Temple Donations
File image of Ram mandir in Ayodhya. (Photo:@NalinisKitchen/X)
New Delhi, Jun 25: The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for June 29 regarding a public interest litigation (PIL) that calls for a criminal investigation into alleged misappropriation of funds at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
During the proceedings, advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav requested an expedited hearing, but the bench, consisting of Justices B V Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi, instructed them to resolve any registry issues first.
"You can bring it up on Monday (June 29)," the bench advised.
The petition urges the central government, the Uttar Pradesh administration, and the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to implement regulatory and auditing systems to maintain donor trust.
It posits that a dedicated agency would foster more public confidence compared to a special investigation team composed of administrative officials lacking criminal investigation expertise.
On the ground, the Uttar Pradesh government's three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has already taken action. They submitted a 150-page interim report to additional chief secretary (home) Sanjay Prasad on June 23, recommending FIRs against over 20 individuals and highlighting oversight failures.
The SIT, which includes Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S, and Finance Department Special Secretary Neel Ratan, has also suggested weekly audits of cash donations and reforms to the Trust's structure, with a comprehensive report anticipated in about a week.
Pant later indicated that the SIT aims to finalize its report within the next 10 to 15 days.
In response to the controversy, the Trust has suspended 40 employees, altered the counting and banking teams, and rotated counting volunteers.
This issue emerged following allegations from former Ayodhya MLA Pawan Pandey, who claimed that donations ranging from Rs 7 crore to Rs 7.5 crore had gone missing.
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav quickly took up the matter, calling for an independent investigation.
At a public gathering, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath adopted a conciliatory stance, stating, "We waited 500 years; now wait another 15 days," urging the public not to be misled.
The political climate has intensified, with Karnataka Congress chief B K Hariprasad demanding an inquiry led by a sitting Supreme Court judge, accusing the BJP of turning Ayodhya into a commercial venture.
On Thursday, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) also voiced its demands. Alok Kumar, the organization's international president, stated that the investigation should conclude within four months, with a fast-track court addressing the case daily to ensure swift justice for the guilty.
Despite the ongoing controversy, reports indicate that visitor numbers and donations at the temple have remained stable throughout June, with devotees continuing to contribute cash directly into donation boxes.