New Delhi: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a batch of Public Interest Litigations (PILs) on Monday seeking a court-monitored investigation into alleged financial irregularities in the management of donations and offerings received by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya.
According to the Supreme Court’s cause list, a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana will hear the petitions.
PILs Seek Court-Monitored Probe
The matters include a writ petition filed by advocate Narendra Kumar Goswami, a criminal writ petition filed by Ajay Kumar Rai and another petitioner against the Trust and others, and a separate plea filed by RJD MP Sudhakar Singh.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had declined an urgent hearing on Goswami’s petition after observing that no immediate urgency had been established. The matter was directed to be listed after the court reopened following the summer vacation.
Petitioners Seek Forensic Audit and Record Preservation
The petitions seek directions for the preservation of all records, CCTV footage, and digital logs relating to donations made to the Ram Temple. They also seek a sealed status report on the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe and an independent forensic audit of all donations, offerings, and valuables received by the Trust since its inception.
The petitioners argue that offerings made to the deity constitute sacred trust property and must be managed with complete transparency, accountability, and fiduciary responsibility.
They have also urged the apex court to frame constitutional safeguards for transparent management of donations at temples of national importance.
Demand for CBI Probe
RJD MP Sudhakar Singh has sought the transfer of the ongoing investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court.
His plea also seeks the appointment of a temporary court-monitored oversight committee comprising retired judicial officers and financial experts to oversee the Trust’s financial affairs. The petition further requests preservation of financial records, restrictions on major financial decisions during the investigation, a comprehensive forensic audit, and publication of audited financial statements and donation records on the Trust’s official website.
The petitions cite recent reports and the constitution of a three-member SIT by the Uttar Pradesh government, alleging irregularities and mismanagement in handling donations received by the Ram Temple Trust.
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