New Delhi, Jul 27 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday 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.
It had asked the solicitor general to take instructions on whether the SIT, which had examined the entire issue before the registration of the FIR, could be entrusted with the responsibility to probe the case instead of the local police.
“Just a word of caution. Please don’t politicise the issue. The courts are not a place for politics. It is a simple case of commission of crime. We are (here) just to ensure a proper investigation,” the CJI had said.
Investigation is going on and eight persons have been arrested, the law officer had said, adding that he cannot divulge much.
Asked whether the SIT was probing the case, Mehta had said, “The SIT was constituted to find out the truthfulness. Now it is being probed by the police. The SIT just found that there is a cognisable offence.” On July 13, the bench had directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to submit a status report in the matter.
It had also issued a notice to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on pleas seeking a fair and time-bound probe into the alleged donation theft.
Narendra Kumar Goswami, one of the three petitioners, moved the top court seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the matter.
He also sought an audit of the finances of the Trust, which manages the affairs of the Ram temple, by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav filed the second petition seeking similar measures.
Besides seeking a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe, the third petition filed by RJD MP Sudhakar Singh has sought a forensic audit of the entire finances of the temple trust.
Earlier, a bench, during the summer vacation, had asked one of the petitioners to mention the case for urgent hearing on a later date.
The petition, filed by practising advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, said a CBI-led multi-disciplinary SIT should investigate the alleged financial irregularities and other purported illegalities concerning the affairs and administration of the temple trust.
In the petition, Rai sought directions to the Centre, the Uttar Pradesh government and the Trust for constituting and operationalising such regulatory, supervisory and audit mechanisms, as may be necessary, to safeguard public interest and maintain the confidence of millions of devotees and donors.
Whether or not the reports regarding missing funds and other alleged irregularities concerning the Trust are ultimately found to be true, such reports have caused deep concern among the generations that struggled for the restoration of the glory of Ayodhya, the plea said.
It also said the SIT constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government commenced its inquiry into the matter without the registration of an FIR or any regular criminal case.
The plea said the issues involved not only concern the possible commission of cognisable offences, but also directly affect the faith, sentiments and confidence of countless devotees and the public.
On June 13, the state government constituted the SIT on a request from the Trust following allegations of misappropriation of donations received at the Ram temple. PTI SJK SJK KVK KVK
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