Ram Temple Donation Theft Row : Supreme Court Asks SIT To Submit Status Report In Two Weeks On The Investigation

File Picture : ANI/X

The Supreme Court  took note of setting up of a four-member SIT headed by IGP Kiran S to probe alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and asked the Uttar Pradesh government to also include a forensic auditor in the probe team.

Observing that “remedial actions will have to be taken”, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said steps will be taken to “ensure transparency”.

The bench also directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to submit a status report in two weeks.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state government, said that a forensic auditor will also be made a part of the SIT.

At the outset, the solicitor general said, “We have constituted an SIT headed by inspector general of police Mr Kiran S. There is one deputy inspector general (DIG), one senior superintendent of police (SSP) and one additional superintendent of police (ASP).”

The SIT, which was set up on July 25, has taken up the ongoing investigation in the case, he said.

Senior advocate Devdatt Kamat, appearing for one of the petitioners, said that people have given Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes as donations.

“Ultimately the money has not reached the Trust. Whatever the Trust got may be shown on a website so that people will know that their money has reached. This is not adversarial (litigation),” he said.

The bench said that the SIT will have access to everything and moreover the case was not being closed at the moment.

“Right now you all note down the issues. Right now, our entire focus is on investigation. We must have a speedy and qualitative investigation. We are asking them to submit a report to us. The rest we will decide at a later stage,” the bench said.

The bench directed the SIT to submit a status report in respect to the ongoing investigation in two weeks and posted the pleas for further consideration after that.

On July 20, the bench had asked the Uttar Pradesh government to apprise it about the possibility of setting up an SIT to probe the alleged embezzlement of donations.