New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued a significant order regarding the theft of offerings at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The apex court has constituted a new Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter. The Uttar Pradesh government presented its stance before a bench comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana.
Representing the state government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that a new SIT has been formed to ensure a transparent investigation into the theft of offerings. The new SIT will now investigate the case. The opposition had been raising questions about the SIT for some time; consequently, the leadership of this team has now been entrusted to senior officers.
Command of the new SIT handed over to senior officers
On Monday, in compliance with previous directives, the Supreme Court handed over the command of the new SIT to senior officers. The Solicitor General informed the court that, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s suggestion, Kiran S., the Inspector General (IG) of the Lucknow Range, has been appointed as the head of the SIT. Apart from IG Kiran S., two other senior IPS officers have been included in this three-member SIT.
These include Somen Verma, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Ayodhya Range, and Gaurav Grover, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Ayodhya. During the hearing, the Supreme Court suggested that a Chartered Accountant should also be included in the team to investigate financial irregularities. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta agreed to this suggestion and assured the court that a Chartered Accountant would be included in the SIT.
What did the Court say during the hearing?
During the hearing of the petition, the Supreme Court noted that the state has issued an order to constitute an SIT. Since the investigation involves the misappropriation of funds, the Solicitor General agreed that an auditor experienced in forensic audits would also be added as a member of the SIT.
We direct the SIT to submit a status report on the ongoing investigation. The Court further stated that the current focus is on ensuring an impartial investigation into the donation misappropriation case. The investigation must be conducted swiftly, ensuring quality, impartiality, and transparency.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel urged the Court to direct that all receipts received by the Ram Mandir Trust be made public on the website, categorised by region. This would enable the general public to access complete information regarding them.
