Supreme Court to Hear Plea on Ram Temple Donation Probe on June 29

The Supreme Court on Thursday (June 25) asked a petitioner to mention his plea on June 29 seeking registration of an FIR and a fair, time-bound investigation into alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The matter was mentioned for urgent listing before a bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi.

The petition, filed by advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, has sought a CBI-led multi-disciplinary special investigation team (SIT) to probe financial irregularities and other alleged illegalities concerning the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

When one of the petitioners urged the bench to list the plea on June 29, the bench observed that if there were no deficiencies, the registry would process it. The petitioner said the plea was registered without deficiencies, and the bench then allowed him to mention it on June 29 for a hearing.

The petition also seeks directions to the Centre, the Uttar Pradesh government, and the Trust to constitute regulatory, supervisory, and audit mechanisms to safeguard public interest and maintain donor confidence. It notes that reports of missing funds have caused deep concern among devotees who struggled for the restoration of Ayodhya.

The plea highlights that the SIT formed by the Uttar Pradesh government on June 13, comprising administrative officers, may not possess specialised criminal investigation expertise. It argues that a unified agency like the CBI would inspire greater public confidence.

The issues involve possible cognisable offences and affect the faith and sentiments of countless devotees, the petition states.