'Don't play politics': Supreme Court tells parties in Ram temple donation case

The Supreme Court said it was a simple and prima facie case of commission of an offence and investigations have to be taken to their logical end

The Supreme Court on Monday cautioned all parties against politicising the investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, while asking the Uttar Pradesh government to consider placing the ongoing police investigation under the supervision of the same three-member special investigation team (SIT) that had first uncovered prima facie evidence of the alleged fraud.

Any controversy surrounding donations to the Ram Mandir, whether ultimately substantiated or disproved, cannot therefore be reduced to an accounting dispute. (ANI Video Grab)

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana directed the state to obtain instructions on reconstituting the SIT and fixed the matter for July 27, when it will examine the progress of the probe, the state’s response and decide whether any further directions are required.

‘Don’t play politics'

“Don’t play politics...Don’t politicise the issue. It is a simple and prima facie case of commission of an offence and investigations have to be taken to their logical end in a fair, impartial and dispassionate manner,” observed the bench while hearing a batch of petitions seeking an independent probe into the alleged financial irregularities in the affairs of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government and the Centre, informed the court that investigations were progressing, eight accused had been arrested and a detailed status report had been filed. He further submitted that the investigation had been taken over by the local police after the earlier SIT completed its preliminary inquiry.

The bench, however, suggested that the same senior officials who conducted the preliminary probe should supervise the criminal investigation as well.

“We would like you to take instructions whether the same SIT which examined the issue earlier can supervise the investigation. Those senior officials have first-hand experience of the matter,” the bench told Mehta, referring to the committee comprising Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan.

Mehta responded that the state could consider such an arrangement and would return with appropriate instructions on the next date.

SIT constituted on June 13

The three-member SIT was constituted on June 13 at the request of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. It submitted its nine-page preliminary report on June 23, following which Ayodhya police registered an FIR against eight people allegedly involved in siphoning off donations during the counting process. All eight accused have since been arrested and nearly ₹80 lakh allegedly diverted from temple donations has been recovered.

The SIT was constituted on June 13 at the request of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and submitted its preliminary report on June 23. (AP)

During the hearing, senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, urged the court to direct the Trust to place records of donations received from devotees in the public domain so that contributors could verify whether their money had actually reached the temple.

The bench responded that proper maintenance of records was essential. “Not only on the website, there must be a well-maintained record,” it observed.

Mehta assured the bench the state had no objection to suggestions aimed at improving transparency and informed the court that inventories of valuables were already being maintained.

The bench said it would examine the confidential status report filed by the state along with the suggestions advanced by the petitioners before deciding what further directions were warranted to strengthen the investigation and improve the accounting mechanism governing temple donations.