Supreme Court Directs Constitution Of SIT To Investigate Ram Mandir Donations Theft

The Supreme Court has directed that a SIT be constituted to investigate the alleged misappropriation and theft concerning Ayodhya Ram Mandir donations. A Chief Justice of India Surya Kant led bench has asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to speak to the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh and ensure that an SIT is constituted.

CJI Kant's bench today took on record the status report submitted before it. "The SIT is investigating?", CJI Kant asked SG Mehta.

"The police is investigating, SIT was constituted to examine the truthfulness, they immediately said that a cognizable offence is made out..now FIR is registered..," SG Mehta responded.

Noting that an SIT has not been constituted yet to investigate the issue, the CJI ordered, "We will take up the matter after 3-4 days..we would like for you to have instructions..as the SIT was a responsible one..there were two IAS officers..and another fairly serious IPS officer..let there be an SIT for investigation.."

"I will ensure that the SIT is constituted and place before this court..," SG Mehta told the bench also comprising Justices Bagchi and Mohana

Notably, Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat also raised the issue of receipts being issued to the devotees who had donated to the temple trust. "When the temple was being built, the trust sought funds from every corner of India..from every devotee..it has come to light that the money has not reached the temple..we are seeking that the reciepts be disclosed..let people know if their money has reached..," Kamat told the bench.

"Lot of devotees have given silver and gold ornaments..the account of that should be disclosed..reports are there that these have completely vanished.," Kamat added.

Assuring that records have been maintained, CJI Kant said, "We have to deal very practically with these aspects..now people will start coming and saying I have donated diamond..".

Supreme Court today 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.."

The Supreme Court last week had issued notice as a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana took up three petitions and noted that some FIRs have already been registered and an SIT has been constituted to investigate the alleged thefts.

"Since some FIRs have already been registered and an SIT has been constitute to investigate..we direct the SIT to submit a status report. Post this matter for further consideration on next Monday," the bench had ordered. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state of UP told court that the status report will be filed in a sealed cover as the investigation is underway.

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) has been 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: July 20, 2026