RJD MP petitions Supreme Court for audit of Ram Temple trust finances
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Sudhakar Singh has approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to prepare and submit a complete statement of all donations, including foreign contributions, received since its formation. The petition also demands a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into allegations of embezzlement of donations meant for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Filed through advocates Satyam Singh Rajput and Jaswanthi A., the petition describes the matter as of “exceptional public importance” necessary to safeguard the trust's administration and protect offerings made by millions of devotees. It emphasises the need to preserve public confidence in one of the country's most revered religious institutions and to ensure a fair, independent investigation that inspires national confidence.
The petition seeks a detailed account of all donations and offerings, including cash, bank transfers, digital payments, foreign contributions, gold, silver, and other valuables, along with particulars of their accounting, custody, and utilisation. It also requests the Supreme Court to order the preservation of all physical, electronic, and digital records—such as books of accounts, cash books, ledgers, vouchers, bank records, UPI and digital payment logs, CCTV footage, electronic devices, servers, and emails—to prevent destruction, alteration, or tampering of evidence during the investigation.
Additionally, the MP has proposed the formation of an independent, Supreme Court-monitored oversight committee comprising retired judicial officers, financial experts, and persons of impeccable integrity. This committee would oversee the secular financial and administrative affairs of the trust without interfering in religious rituals, customs, or practices associated with the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir. The petition also urges the court to bar any major financial or administrative decisions—such as utilisation of trust funds, award of substantial contracts, creation of third-party rights, alienation of trust assets, or other significant commitments—without the committee's approval.
Finally, the petition calls for a comprehensive forensic audit of the trust's accounts, donations, bank transactions, and financial records by an independent agency of unquestionable credibility, with the report to be submitted to the Supreme Court. It demands regular publication of accounts to ensure complete transparency in the handling of donations and offerings.
