Supreme Court to hear pleas seeking probe into Ram temple donations theft row on July 20

The Supreme Court will hear a batch of pleas on July 20 seeking a fair and time-limited investigation into the alleged misappropriation of donations from the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

According to the apex court’s case list dated July 20, four separate pleas in the matter would come up for hearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana.

On July 13, the high court agreed to hear these pleas and directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government to probe the matter, to submit a status report.

The board had also issued notice to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust seeking its response in the matter.

“Since it has been alleged in some writ petitions that some FIRs have already been registered and an SIT has been constituted to investigate the matter, we direct the SIT constituted by the State of Uttar Pradesh to submit a status report to this court,” the top court said. he said.

Narendra Kumar Goswami, one of the petitioners in the case, had approached the top court seeking a CBI probe into the case.

He also sought an Auditor General and Auditor General audit of the finances of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Theerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the affairs of the Ram temple.

Filing one of their arguments in the top court, Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav said a multi-disciplinary SIT led by CBI should investigate the alleged financial irregularities and other alleged illegalities related to the affairs and management of the temple trust.

The third petition, filed by RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, also sought a judicial audit of the entire finances of the Foundation, along with a CBI probe monitored by the Supreme Court.

Another petition filed by ‘Hindu Dharma Parishad’ demanded a high court-monitored investigation into the allegations.

On June 13, the Uttar Pradesh government set up the SIT on the request of the temple trust following allegations of misuse of donations received at the Ram temple.

The SIT comprises Lucknow District Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S. and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan.