SC Schedules July 13 Hearing On Pleas Seeking CBI Investigation Into Ram Temple Donations

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on July 13 a batch of petitions seeking a court-monitored investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations received by the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The petitions call for an independent probe into the financial affairs of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which oversees the management of the temple. According to the Supreme Court's cause list, a Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana will take up the matter when the apex court resumes proceedings on Monday.

The petitions seek a fair, transparent and time-bound investigation into allegations of financial irregularities involving donations made to the Trust. One of the petitions, filed by Narendra Kumar Goswami, has sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged embezzlement of temple donations. The plea also requests that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) conduct an audit of the Trust's financial records to examine the utilisation of donated funds.

A second petition, filed by advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, has urged the Supreme Court to constitute a CBI-led multi-disciplinary Special Investigation Team (SIT). The petition seeks an investigation not only into the alleged financial irregularities but also into other purported illegalities relating to the Trust's administration and functioning. The third petition has been filed by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Sudhakar Singh, who has sought a Supreme Court-monitored CBI investigation along with a comprehensive forensic audit of the Trust's finances.

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The plea argues that an independent probe is necessary to ensure accountability and public confidence in the handling of donations. The petitions also question the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to initiate an SIT inquiry into the allegations. According to the petitioners, the state-level investigation was commenced without the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) or a regular criminal case, raising concerns about the legal basis and effectiveness of the inquiry.

The petitioners have argued that the Ram temple attracts donations from millions of devotees across India and abroad, making transparency and accountability in financial management a matter of significant public interest. They contend that allegations involving charitable and religious trusts should be investigated independently to maintain public confidence. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust was constituted to oversee the construction and management of the Ram temple in Ayodhya following the Supreme Court's 2019 judgment in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute.

Since then, the Trust has received substantial donations from devotees and organisations for the temple project. The Supreme Court's hearing on July 13 is expected to determine whether the petitions warrant judicial intervention through a court-monitored investigation or whether the existing mechanisms are sufficient to examine the allegations. The court is likely to consider the maintainability of the pleas as well as the nature of the reliefs sought before deciding the next course of action.

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