PIL in SC seeks FIR, CBI probe into Ayodhya Ram Temple donation row
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New Delhi: A representation has been submitted before the Supreme Court seeking directions for the registration of an FIR and a court-monitored investigation into allegations of misappropriation of donations and offerings made at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
Addressed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, the plea was filed by Advocate-on-Record Anoop Prakash Awasthi, who has urged the apex court to order an independent probe by a premier investigating agency such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court.
The representation stated that recent reports of alleged irregularities, misappropriation, or disappearance of donation funds linked to the Ram Temple have raised concern among devotees in India and abroad, arguing that the issue concerns public faith and confidence in the institution.
It further noted that while the Uttar Pradesh government has already constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), the absence of a formal criminal investigation and FIR has raised questions over the adequacy of the current response. The plea contended that only a court-monitored investigation would ensure transparency and credibility.
“I do not seek to prejudge any individual, institution or authority. Nor do I intend to cast any aspersions upon the Trust, whose members have rendered invaluable service. However, the gravity of the allegations and the extraordinary significance of the institution involved require a level of transparency and credibility beyond ordinary standards,” the representation stated.
Highlighting the religious significance of the temple, it said donations made by devotees are sacred offerings reflecting faith, and any allegations concerning their misuse acquire a dimension larger than an ordinary financial dispute.
“A matter involving offerings made to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir transcends questions of ordinary financial impropriety. It concerns the faith of countless devotees. The issue is not merely whether a monetary loss has occurred; the issue is whether public confidence in the management of one of the most revered religious institutions in the world remains intact,” it said.
The plea also argued that the SIT constituted by the state government is insufficient, stating that devotees may not consider it fully independent unless monitored by a constitutional court. It further said the absence of an FIR despite serious allegations could create the impression that the matter is being treated as an administrative irregularity rather than a criminal breach of trust.
It also referred to claims that individuals linked to donation management were found in possession of assets disproportionate to known sources of income, while clarifying that the truth of such allegations must be determined through a competent investigation.
The representation has sought directions for a CBI probe under Supreme Court monitoring, protection of donated funds, and a comprehensive inquiry into collection, accounting, custody, management, and disbursement of temple donations.
It stressed that only an independent and transparent investigation could restore the confidence of millions of devotees.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government has constituted an SIT following directions from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The team includes Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, IG (Lucknow Range) Kiran S., and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan, and has been tasked to submit a preliminary report within seven days and a final report within 15 days.
The issue gained political traction after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that crores of rupees from temple offerings had gone missing and demanded judicial intervention.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has also supported an SIT probe, stating that rumours and misleading claims were circulating on social media and that a fair investigation is necessary to establish facts.
Temple trust camp office in-charge Prakash Gupta told IANS that donations received at counters are issued only against receipts, and suggested that any discrepancy, if proven, could be linked to the counting of cash from donation boxes rather than receipt-based collections.
With IANS inputs