‘Don’t play any politics’: Supreme Court on Ram Temple donation theft row

CJI: We will have to be very practical in certain aspects. People will start coming saying I had donated a diamond.

Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat: Yes, but as far as receipts are given...

CJI: Wherever the receipt has been issued that record should be well-maintained and should be accounted for. It should be like ledger books are there.

Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat: Either it can be put on the website or for inspection or whatever, but I've raised those larger issues which Your Lordships may consider. They can file a reply to my petition and after that you may consider it.

Counsel: CCTV camera, DVR records, and these records must be preserved.

SG: They are being preserved.

Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat: We have raised in our PIL a larger issue and we are quite confident that under your Lordship's gaze, the investigation is going on, etc. Now, My Lord, what has happened here is, there are three aspects which will need your Lordship's consideration. When, My Lords, the temple was being built, the trust sought funds from every devotee from every corner of India, and receipts were taken. It has come to light and we have pointed that out ultimately the money has not reached the temple. So that is one aspect of the matter. So one of the suggestions which we have given is that all the receipts which they say are with the trust people have given money, receipts were given. Let them be disclosed on a website. Let people know whether their money has actually reached. That's one of the suggestions.

CJI: We will take up the matter after three, four days. Meanwhile, we would like to go through this report. We would like to have you to have instruction...that SIT was of a very senior responsible officer. There are two IAS officer. One is the commissioner of Lucknow. Another is special secretary finance department. He also must be an administrative officer. Maybe IAS or something. But there is another officer, he is the inspector general of police, Lucknow range. A very fairly senior IPS officer. So please have instruction that let there be an SIT for investigation, ongoing investigation, and that SIT can be headed by this officer.

SG: I have no objection.

CJI: So you speak to the director general of police that the SIT is reconstituted, headed by this officer who has earlier seen because a prima facie knowledge of everything. Meanwhile, we will go through this report, and whatever additional directions are required to be done, taken, issued we will do that.

Counsel interjects

CJI (tells the counsel): We are only putting a word of caution. Don’t play any politics, don't politicise the issue.

Hearing begins

On the last date of hearing, the top court had issued notice to Centre, State of Uttar Pradesh and the Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust. It had also directed the SIT constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government to submit a status report.