SC Suggests SIT Probe To UP, Opposes Politicising Ayodhya Donation Row
The court tells UP to consider handing over the case for a fair and transparent investigation.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana asked Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state government, to seek instructions on whether the SIT that conducted a preliminary inquiry before the registration of the FIR could take over the investigation from the local police.
“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 said.
Mehta informed the bench that the state government had filed a status report in compliance with the court’s earlier direction. He said the investigation was underway and eight people had been arrested.
Asked whether the SIT was investigating the case, Mehta said it had only been constituted to verify the allegations. The local police took over after the team found that a cognisable offence had been committed, he said.
The bench noted that the SIT included two senior IAS officers and the Inspector-General of Police, Lucknow, and asked whether it could be entrusted with the main investigation to ensure fairness and transparency.
Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for one of the petitioners, sought the preservation and publication of receipts issued for donations collected for the construction of the temple.
“When the temple was built, donations were sought from everyone. We are seeking that those receipts be preserved and uploaded,” he said.
The court said it would examine the request and pass appropriate directions when it hears the matter again on July 27.
On July 13, the Supreme Court had directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to submit a status report and issued notice to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on petitions seeking a fair and time-bound investigation into the alleged misappropriation.
The petitions seek a CBI or Supreme Court-monitored probe and an audit of the Trust’s finances. Petitioner Narendra Kumar Goswami has sought an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General, while RJD MP Sudhakar Singh has called for a forensic audit of the Trust’s entire finances.
Advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav have sought a CBI-led multidisciplinary SIT to investigate the alleged financial irregularities and other purported illegalities in the administration of the Trust. They have also sought regulatory and audit mechanisms to protect public interest and maintain the confidence of devotees and donors.
The Uttar Pradesh government constituted the SIT on June 13 following a request from the temple Trust amid allegations of misappropriation of donations. The team comprised Lucknow divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector-General of Police Kiran S. and special secretary for finance Neel Ratan.
