SC Suggests Another SIT with Senior IPS Officers for Thorough Probe into Ram Temple Fund Embezzlement
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, July 2: The Supreme Court on Monday suggested re-constituting the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a thorough probe into the alleged donation fund embezzlement at the Ayodhya Ram Temple by incorporating some senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers having experience in handling such cases.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, said the SIT constituted earlier was tasked with submitting a preliminary report. Therefore, it noted that a separate SIT should be formed for a full-fledged probe.
It advised Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Uttar Pradesh, to consult with Uttar Pradesh DGP about it. The court also said it would read the probe report submitted by Uttar Pradesh police and posted the case for further hearing.
The court’s observation came after Solicitor General told the court that the SIT was constituted to “find out the truthfulness” and it found that “there is a cognisable offence.” To this, the apex court pointed out that Lucknow Inspector General of Police (IGP) and two senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers were part of the SIT, asking whether they could conduct the main investigation to ensure fairness and transparency.
The bench also warned against politicising the matter, pointing out that the matter was a “simple case of commission of crime.” “Just a word of caution. Please don’t politicise the issue. The courts are not a place for politics… We are (here) just to ensure a proper investigation,” CJI Kant said.
The court, which has not passed any final order or direction in the matter so far, will hear the case again on July 27.
The top court’s observation came a day after the SIT submitted a status report at the top court in a sealed cover. The SIT was asked by the court to submit its report during the hearing on July 13. Back then, the court also issued a notice to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust over pleas seeking a thorough investigation in the matter.
“Since it is averred in some of the writ petitions that some FIRs have already been registered and an SIT has been constituted to investigate the matter, we direct the SIT constituted by the State of Uttar Pradesh to submit a status report before this court,” the court had said back then.
The CJI during the Monday’s hearing also objected to the multiplicity of petitions regarding the case in Supreme Court. Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat suggests that there would be records of the donations made and the records should be published so that the devotees would know. He said the devotees have given silver and gold and there are reports that these have “vanished.” He added that there should be an inventory and it should be published.
The CJI, however, urged for more practicality, saying that someone could falsely claim donation of diamonds, etc. But he agrees that an inventory must be maintained and accounted for. CJI Surya Kant also cautions the petitioners not to “play politics” with the case. He calls the case as a “simple commission of an offence.”
