Supreme Court Declines Urgent Hearing On PIL Seeking CBI Probe Into Ram Mandir Donation Irregularities

New Delhi, June 29: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to urgently hear a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a court-monitored probe into the alleged financial irregularities and missing donations linked to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

A Bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Sheel Nagu refused to grant an urgent listing after advocate Narendra Kumar Goswami, appearing in person, mentioned the matter before the court. Goswami argued that the allegations were serious and expressed concerns that electronic evidence could be tampered with if the matter was not taken up immediately.

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When Justice Sundresh questioned the urgency of the case, the petitioner submitted that the manner in which the Uttar Pradesh government was dealing with the matter had raised doubts. The Bench, however, was not persuaded to hear the matter during the court’s partial working days and directed that it be listed after the Supreme Court reopens following the summer vacation. The court also asked the petitioner to furnish a copy of the plea to the Registry, Live Law and Bar & Bench, reports.

Court Prioritises Procedure Over Urgency

The petition seeks directions for the preservation of all physical, electronic and financial records related to donations made to the Ram Mandir. These include donation registers, ledgers, bank records, CCTV footage and software databases. The petitioner has also sought an order restraining any party from tampering with the material until the matter is decided.

Apart from seeking preservation of evidence, the plea calls for a court-monitored investigation into the alleged misappropriation and embezzlement of public donations meant for the construction of the temple. It also seeks a forensic audit and the formulation of minimum constitutional safeguards to ensure transparency in the handling of donations and offerings at temples of national importance.

The petition names the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the Union of India and the Uttar Pradesh government as respondents.

Petition Questions Scope Of Ongoing SIT Probe

According to the plea, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government is already examining the allegations. However, the petitioner contends that the SIT lacks the specialised forensic and investigative infrastructure required for a complex financial investigation. The plea also argues that the inquiry began without the registration of a first information report (FIR), making its findings vulnerable to legal challenge.

Drawing a parallel with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam adulterated ghee case, the petition refers to the Supreme Court's October 2024 order in Subramanian Swamy v. State of Andhra Pradesh, in which a state SIT was replaced by an independent multidisciplinary SIT headed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The petitioner has argued that a similar approach is warranted in the present case.

The plea further states that offerings made to a deity in a public temple constitute sacred trust property vested in the deity as a juristic person and that those handling such offerings have a fiduciary duty to ensure transparency, accountability and proper preservation of records. It also clarifies that it does not seek any interference in religious practices or denominational matters and is confined to the secular administration of donations.

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Investigation Continues

Meanwhile, the ongoing criminal investigation has continued. Police on Sunday recovered jewellery and documents during searches at the residence of one of the eight persons arrested in connection with the alleged misappropriation of donations and offerings at the Ram Mandir. The FIR was registered after a preliminary SIT report flagged multiple irregularities. The arrested suspects were remanded to judicial custody till June 29, and police said further action would depend on interrogation and CCTV evidence.

The matter is now expected to be taken up by the Supreme Court after it resumes regular functioning following the summer vacation.

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