IPS Kiran S to Head SIT in Ayodhya Ram Temple Donation Probe
Supreme Court directs inclusion of chartered accountant in probe team, seeks status report within two weeks
- IPS officer Kiran S appointed to head SIT probing Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft case.
- Supreme Court orders inclusion of a chartered accountant in the investigation team.
- Court directs SIT to ensure a speedy, fair and transparent probe.
- UP government to submit a status report within two weeks.
GG News Bureau
Ayodhya, 27th July: The Supreme Court on Monday directed that senior IPS officer Kiran S will head the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged theft of donations from the Ayodhya Ram Temple, while ordering the inclusion of a chartered accountant in the investigation team to strengthen financial scrutiny.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file a status report within two weeks and emphasised that the investigation must be conducted in a speedy, fair and transparent manner.
Appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the SIT had been reconstituted in line with earlier directions. Besides Kiran S, the new team includes Ayodhya DIG Somen Verma and Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Grover.
The Chief Justice directed the authorities to provide the SIT with complete details of all donations received by the Ram Temple and said the court’s primary concern was the quality of the investigation.
“Our main focus is on the quality of the probe. The matter should be investigated in a speedy, fair and unbiased manner,” the Bench observed.
After being informed about the reconstituted SIT, the Chief Justice instructed that a chartered accountant should also be made part of the team to assist in examining financial records.
The court further observed that the SIT should have unrestricted access to all relevant documents and records. It also asked the authorities to identify remedial measures to enhance transparency in the management and accounting of temple donations.
During the previous hearing on July 20, the Supreme Court had asked the Uttar Pradesh government to consider reconstituting the SIT under the leadership of a senior IPS officer, stressing that the investigation must be carried to its logical conclusion.
The case relates to the alleged theft of donations collected at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. So far, eight persons involved in counting donation money have been arrested in connection with the case.
Last month, Champat Rai, General Secretary of the trust managing the temple, resigned on moral grounds. Earlier this month, he also alleged lapses by the State Bank of India’s Ayodhya branch, accusing bank officials of failing to follow prescribed security protocols for the chest room handling temple donations.
