India News | Supreme Court Seeks SIT Status Report on Pleas Alleging Misappropriation of Ram Mandir Donations
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohan also directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government to place a status report before it. The Court has sought details on the composition of the SIT.
New Delhi [India], July 13 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre, the Uttar Pradesh government and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust seeking response on pleas seeking an independent, court-monitored probe into the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohan also directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government to place a status report before it. The Court has sought details on the composition of the SIT.
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"We direct the SIT constituted by the State of Uttar Pradesh to submit a status report. Post this matter for further consideration next Monday. Please also mention the composition of the SIT in the status report," the Court said.
During the hearing, Solicitor General of India (SGI) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, urged the Court not to issue notice, submitting that the State had already constituted an SIT and that the investigation was underway.
"A notice may not be necessary", the SGI said.
The Court, however, clarified that it was not examining the merits of the allegations at this stage and only wanted to be apprised of the progress of the investigation.
The Court, however, did not entertain arguments by the petitioner's counsel that more than seventeen days have passed since the constitution of the SIT and no progress has been made. The Court responded to the submission by suggesting the counsels save their energy as it would be required once they go and give sound bites to the media, outside the court.
"Save your energy because you are required to use it outside also. You don't want us to pass an order?" the Court said.
The Court thereafter proceeded to issue notice and called for the SIT's status report along with details of its composition.
The petitions seek an independent probe into allegations that donations made by devotees at the Ram Mandir were siphoned off by staff handling the counting of cash offerings.
The pleas come against the backdrop of the SIT's preliminary findings, which allegedly point to serious security lapses in the temple's counting room. According to the preliminary probe, CCTV footage reviewed between April 27 and June 5 captured nearly 70 suspicious incidents in which members of the counting staff were allegedly seen concealing bundles of cash in their clothes, pockets, shoes and other personal belongings. The SIT is stated to have found that the alleged theft appeared to be systematic and repeated rather than comprising isolated incidents.
The preliminary report also flagged deficiencies in security arrangements, noting the absence of frisking of staff at entry and exit points of the counting hall and inadequate checks on personal belongings carried into and out of the premises.
The alleged irregularities have triggered political reactions, with Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, demanding accountability. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has meanwhile assured that strict action would be taken against anyone found guilty of misappropriating donations made by devotees to the temple. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)