Journalism of Courage
Supreme Court weighs rules for Ram Mandir donations amid theft row
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court that the SIT has included a forensic auditor in the team as desired by the court.
File photo of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
The Supreme Court on Monday said it might pass orders listing ways to transparently maintain donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya in the wake of alleged embezzlement of funds at the temple.
“There are certain other directions which are required for the purpose of reforms. That we will issue. We are also considering this fact – that how the donation amount should be maintained, what kind of transparency (is needed),” Chief Justice of India Surya Kant remarked orally while hearing petitions seeking probe into the alleged embezzlement.
The CJI made the remark as a counsel urged the three-judge bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, to direct the Trust managing the shrine to publish the details of the donations received so far.
The court also asked the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by it to investigate the matter and take the probe to a logical conclusion.
The CJI asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta how much more time the SIT would require. After Mehta informed that the SIT would require another three weeks, the CJI said, “Let them conclude it also. Let them take it to a logical conclusion.”
Mehta said that, as directed by the court, the UP Inspector General of Police who was heading the initial SIT in the matter is also leading the SIT formed by the court.
He added that the SIT had also included a forensic auditor in the team as desired by the court.
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Mehta informed the bench that the investigation is going on and a status report has been drawn up. The court directed that the status report be filed in its Registry.
One of the petitioners contended that the investigation will not be proper with the current Trust in place and urged the court to dissolve it.
The CJI, however, pointed out that the “SIT is not under (the) Trust. It is constituted by us. It is accountable and answerable to us. It will have to report to us.”
To a request by a petitioner counsel that the status report be also shared with him, the Solicitor General said that it cannot be shared with strangers.
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The counsel said, “We are not strangers. This petition is filed on behalf of the people of India. We have a right to know.”
Mehta then clarified, “Outsider means, in a criminal investigation, it is always between the prosecutor, the accused, the court and the victim. In that legal sense I said.”
The counsel added that in the matter, the victim base is larger and millions of people are involved.
The court also permitted “petitioners or any other bona fide public-spirited person to give their suggestions to the office of the learned Solicitor General with respect to the aspects that may be required to be thoroughly investigated by SIT. The office of the Solicitor General shall forward the suggestions to the SIT.”
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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