Supreme Court Refuses To Order Disclosure Of SIT Report On Ram Mandir Donation Theft Probe

The Supreme Court today categorically refused to order disclosure of the report of the SIT constituted as per its previous directions to investigate the alleged misappropriation and theft concerning Ayodhya Ram Mandir donations.

"We cannot order on disclosure of report as of now..we will consider later..we are only concerned right now with the investigation of the FIR..that it be taken to logical conclusion..", CJI Surya Kant observed today.

"The SIT is constituted by us. It is answerable and accountable to us. It will have to report to us. The SIT, which includes a forensic auditor, will submit its status report to the Supreme Court in sealed cover. But it's report will be first perused by us and seen if we have to release it to all parties," the bench further observed.

On repeated requests made by the petitioner to disclose the report so that suggestions may be made to the SIT, the CJI said, "How many times will we point out that these petitions are only for investigation..nothing more we will consider.."

The bench has now directed that the SIT report be submitted within 3 weeks.

In July, the Supreme Court was informed today that an SIT had been constituted as per its previous directions. "Apropos your lordships last direction, we have constituted an SIT which would be headed by Inspector General of Police Mr. Kiran S, he will be the Chairman, then there is on DIG, one SSP and one ASP..they may file their...," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had informed a CJI Kant led bench.

This was after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant led bench had asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to speak to the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh and ensure that an SIT is constituted.

Supreme Court had also cautioned the petitioners before it to not politicize the issue. As the hearing progressed, the petitioners interjected to express concerns over the investigation. A miffed CJI proceeded to caution the petitioners and said, "WE ARE PUTTING A WORD OF CAUTION...DON'T PLAY ANY POLITICS. COURTS ARE NOT MEANT FOR POLITICS. DONT POLITICISE THE ISSUE..IT IS A SIMPLE CASE OF PRIME FACIE COMMISSION OF AN OFFENCE. AND THERE MUST BE A FAIR INVESTIGATION AND INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO A LOGICAL CONCLUSION..THATS ALL.."

In June, the Supreme Court had refused to urgently hear one of the petitions seeking registration of an FIR and a court-monitored investigation into the alleged embezzlement of donations collected by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya. A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Sheel Nagu heard an urgent mentioning made before its bench. "Allegations are very serious...the way State is dealing casts doubts, " the counsel told the court.

The said petition has been jointly filed by practising Advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, who have sought a direction for a fair, impartial and time-bound investigation into the alleged financial irregularities concerning the functioning and administration of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The petitioners have urged the Court to direct registration of an FIR and constitute a multi-disciplinary Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), contending that an independent probe is necessary to inspire public confidence in the investigation.

Another PIL has also been filed before the Supreme Court seeking a forensic audit of donations made to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, preservation of all evidence relating to temple offerings, and the formulation of a nationwide transparency framework for handling donations received by temples of national importance. Filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, the petition has been moved by Advocate Narendra Kumar Goswami of the Supreme Court who describes himself as a devotee of Shri Ram Lalla Virajman. The plea raises issues concerning the secular administration of temple donations and argues that offerings made by devotees constitute sacred trust property belonging to the deity, which has long been recognised in law as a juristic person.

RJD MP Sudhakar Singh has also filed a Public Interest Litigation before Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe into the alleged donation theft at Ayodhya Ram Mandir and also a direction to the temple Trust to place before the court complete statement of all donations in form of money and valuables received since its formation on February 5, 2020.

The PIL filed through Advocate Satyam Singh Rajput and Advocate-On-Record Jaswanthi A also seeks transfer of the investigation arising out of the allegations concerning the administration, accounting and utilisation of donations and offerings received by Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to the Central Bureau of Investigation, to be conducted under the supervision of the Supreme Court, or under such independent mechanism as the Court may deem fit and proper. 

It is to be noted that an First Information Report (FIR) was registered in connection with the alleged embezzlement of devotees' donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, with police arresting all eight persons named in the case, including the official responsible for cash counting at the temple's pilgrim facilitation centre. According to police, those arrested include the cash-counting in-charge and several others allegedly associated with the handling, collection and transportation of donation money. Names of arrested persons are- Tinnu Yadav, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Manish Yadav, Subhash Srivastava, Karunesh Pandey and Ramshankar Mishra.

The accused have been booked on charges relating to criminal breach of trust, cheating, criminal conspiracy and other offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigators suspect that the alleged misappropriation took place over a period of time through manipulation of the donation collection process.

Case Titles: Narendra Kumar Goswami v. Union of India and others; Ajay Kumar Rai and another v. Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Theerth Kshetra Trust; Sudhakar Singh v. Union of India and others

Bench: CJI Kant, Justice Bagchi and Justice Mohana

Hearing Date: August 17, 2026