Ayodhya donation theft row: SC seeks status report from SIT, reply form Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust | Today’s news
The Supreme Court on Monday sought a status report from the UP-set up SIT probing the Ram Temple donation embezzlement. The Monitoring Committee also sought a response from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
“We direct the SIT constituted by the state of Uttar Pradesh to submit a status report. List the matter for further consideration next Monday. In the status report please also mention the composition of the SIT,” said a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohan.
Three petitions in SC
The SC’s intervention came on a plea for a CBI probe into the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Narendra Kumar Goswami, one of the three petitioners, has also sought an audit of the finances of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Theerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the affairs of the Ram temple.
Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav filed a second petition seeking similar measures.
A third petition filed by RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, besides seeking a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe, demanded a forensic audit of the entire finances of the temple trust.
The petition, filed by advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, said that a multi-disciplinary special investigation team (SIT) led by the CBI should probe the alleged financial irregularities and other alleged illegalities related to the affairs and management of the temple trust.
In the petition, Rai sought directions to the Centre, the Uttar Pradesh government and the Trust to create and operationalize such regulatory, monitoring and control mechanisms as may be necessary to protect public interest and maintain the confidence of millions of devotees and donors.
The Uttar Pradesh government constitutes the SIT
On June 13, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted an SIT at the request of the temple trust following allegations of misappropriation of donations received at the Ram temple.
The SIT comprises Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan.
