File status report on Ayodhya donation theft in two weeks, top court directs SIT
Asks UP Government to include forensic auditor in team
The Supreme Court on Monday took note of setting up of a four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by IGP Kiran S to probe alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and asked the Uttar Pradesh Government to also include a forensic auditor in the probe team.
Observing that “remedial actions will have to be taken”, a Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said steps would be taken to “ensure transparency”. The bench also directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to submit a status report in two weeks.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state government, said that a forensic auditor will also be made a part of the SIT. At the outset, the Solicitor General said, “We have constituted an SIT headed by Inspector General of Police Mr Kiran S. There is one deputy inspector general (DIG), one senior superintendent of police (SSP) and one additional superintendent of police (ASP)."
The SIT, set up on July 25, has taken up the ongoing probe in the case, he said.
Senior advocate Devdatt Kamat, appearing for one of the petitioners, said that people had given Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as donations. “Ultimately the money has not reached the Trust. Whatever the Trust got may be shown on a website so that people will know that their money has reached. This is not adversarial (litigation),” he said.
The Bench said the SIT would have access to everything and the case was not being closed at the moment. “Right now, you all note down the issues. Our entire focus is on investigation. We must have a speedy and qualitative investigation. We are asking them to submit a report to us. The rest we will decide at a later stage,” the Bench said.
The Bench directed the SIT to submit a status report in respect to the ongoing investigation in two weeks and posted the pleas for further consideration after that.
On July 20, the SC had asked the UP Government to apprise it about the possibility of setting up an SIT to probe the alleged embezzlement of donations. It had asked the Solicitor General to take instructions on whether the SIT, which had examined the entire issue before the registration of the FIR, could be entrusted with the responsibility to probe the case instead of the local police.
“Just a word of caution. Please don’t politicise the issue. The courts are not a place for politics. It is a simple case of commission of crime. We are (here) just to ensure a proper investigation,” the CJI had said. Investigation is going on and eight persons have been arrested, the law officer had said, adding that he could not divulge much.
