The Supreme Court has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to consider reconstituting the Special Investigation Team probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said it would prefer the probe to be headed by a senior IPS officer with experience in handling such investigations. The court also asked the state to seek instructions on the SIT’s composition and said it would take up the matter again after two to three days.
During the hearing, the court cautioned petitioners against giving the case a political colour. Chief Justice Kant said this is a straightforward matter of alleged offences under penal law and that what is needed is a fair and proper investigation.
The court also reacted to a request that donation receipts be made publicly verifiable on the Trust’s website. While agreeing that records must be maintained properly, it said the issue must be handled practically.
The petitions before the court seek an independent probe into alleged large-scale embezzlement of cash, gold, and other valuables received by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Meanwhile, the Nirmohi Akhara has filed a separate plea seeking reconstitution of the Trust, alleging that its current composition deviates from the 2019 Ayodhya judgment framework.
SC asks UP to reconstitute SIT in Ram Mandir donation case, prefers senior IPS-led probe, and warns against politicising the issue.
