Ayodhya Ram Temple Donation Scam: Petition Seeking CBI Investigation, FIR in Supreme Court

New Delhi: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court over irregularities in donations linked to Ayodhya Ram Temple. Advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav approached the apex court seeking urgent intervention in the matter and a direction to register an FIR.

The petition also calls for a thorough investigation into the allegations raised against the functioning of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The petitioners have sought directions to the central and state governments and the trust to ensure transparent regulatory, oversight and audit mechanisms at the temple.

The petitioners pointed out that the matter concerns the faith of lakhs of devotees, and that such a controversy erupting over the construction of a temple awaited for generations is deeply concerning.

The Special Investigation Team formed by the Uttar Pradesh government is currently conducting its investigation without having registered an FIR or a criminal case. The petitioners argued that for the public to have confidence in the investigation of such complex financial and criminal irregularities, a probe by a specialised agency such as the CBI is essential.

Meanwhile, a decision has been taken to register an FIR based on a preliminary report into the matter. The investigation report was submitted to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday by a team comprising Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, IG Kiran S, and Finance Department Special Secretary Neil Rattan. The SIT had been tasked with investigating the irregularities on June 14, based on on a request from the templeple trust.