Ram Mandir Donation Theft Case: Supreme Court issues notice to the Trust in Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft case, seeks status report from SIT

New Delhi. Hearing was held in the Supreme Court today on the petitions demanding investigation into the case of theft of offerings from Ayodhya Ram temple. The bench of the apex court comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana has issued a notice to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust seeking its reply. Along with this, the SIT formed by the UP government to investigate the matter has been asked to file a status report. The court has directed that the SIT report be presented in a sealed envelope and it should also contain information about the formation of the SIT.

The bench headed by CJI Justice Surya Kant has fixed Monday, July 20 for the next hearing of the case. The Supreme Court is hearing a total of four petitions related to the donation theft case. These petitions have been filed on behalf of Hindu Dharma Parishad, advocate Ajay Kumar Rai, Dinesh Kumar Yadav and RJD MP Sudhakar Singh. In the petition filed by the Dharma Parishad, it has been demanded that the investigation into the donation theft case should be under the supervision of the Supreme Court. While two other petitions have demanded a CBI investigation into the case, one petition has requested to form an investigation team under the leadership of a CBI officer.

On the request of Shri Ram Mandir Teerth Kshetra Trust, a three-member SIT headed by senior IAS Vijay Vishwas Pant was appointed by CM Yogi Adityanath at present to investigate the entire matter. Based on the recommendation of the preliminary report of the SIT, an FIR was lodged by the Trust against 8 named people. At present all these accused are in jail. Champat Rai has resigned from the post of General Secretary of the Trust on moral grounds. Trustee Anil Mishra has also resigned.