Supreme Court Proposes SIT Probe in Ram Temple Donation Case, Warns Against Politicisation
The Supreme Court on Monday proposed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising senior police officers to investigate alleged embezzlement of donations made to the Ram Temple trust. The court cautioned petitioners against turning the matter into a political issue, describing it as a 'simple case of commission of offence'.
The case was heard by a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant. Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, informed the court that a status report of the investigation had been filed in a sealed cover. He stated that eight individuals had been arrested and declined to share further details, citing the ongoing nature of the probe.
The Chief Justice asked if the SIT mentioned in the report was conducting the investigation. Mr. Mehta clarified that the state police were investigating under the SIT's oversight. The bench suggested reconstituting the SIT to take direct control of the probe, and Mr. Mehta agreed to consult the Director-General of Police.
During the hearing, the court cautioned petitioners against politicising the case. 'We are cautioning… It is a simple case of commission of offence,' the Chief Justice remarked.
Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Sudhakar Singh, urged the court to direct the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to publish records of all donations since its inception. He noted that devotees had donated silver and gold, and there were reports of these items going missing. 'There should be an inventory. It should be published,' Mr. Kamat submitted.
The Chief Justice acknowledged the need for an inventory but warned that such a direction could lead to false claims of donations, such as diamonds. 'We have to look at the practical side,' he said, while agreeing that valuable offerings must be accounted for.
The bench scheduled the next hearing for July 27, when it will issue further orders. Petitions before the court have demanded a CBI probe and full disclosure of financial details, including foreign contributions. Another petition, filed by advocate N.K. Goswami, sought protection of electronic evidence such as CCTV footage, which could be lost or tampered with.
