Ram Temple CCTVs caught ‘theft’ 105 times, UP tells Supreme Court - The Indian Express
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, will file its first chargesheet by September 25, the Supreme Court was informed Monday.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on Monday also submitted the status report of the SIT before the top court which perused it. According to the report, the CCTV cameras installed at Ram temple captured 105 instances of theft. It also referred to the arrests made in this connection and the evidence gathered against the accused.
Mehta submitted before a three-judge bench, presided by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, that on September 25, the 90-day period from the date of the first arrest in the case will lapse and that the accused will get default bail if the chargesheet is not filed before that. “Ninety days are going to be over on September 25. So we will have to file a chargesheet. Otherwise they will get bail,” he submitted before the bench also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana.
Under Section 167 (2) of the CrPC, an accused becomes entitled to grant of statutory bail if the probe agency fails to file the chargesheet in the trial court within the stipulated period of either 60 or 90 days. Section 187 of the new BNSS replaces Section 167(2) of the erstwhile CrPC.
Following the registration of an FIR over the alleged theft and arrest of eight men in June, three officials, including Trust general secretary Champat Rai, stepped down from their posts. Two SITs were formed to probe the case. Retired Indian Forest Service officer Krishna Mohan was also appointed interim general secretary. Earlier this month, in a major administrative overhaul of the Ram Mandir Trust in Ayodhya, Air Marshal (retd) Jeetendra Mishra, who commanded the IAF’s Western Air Command during Operation Sindoor, was appointed the first CEO of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
The top court had earlier asked the SIT to complete its investigation expeditiously and take it to a logical conclusion. The court was hearing petitions seeking independent investigation into alleged donation theft at the temple.
In July, the top court issued notice on the petitions which also sought directions to ensure transparency in the finances of the temple. During the last hearing, the SC bench had said it is considering passing some orders on how to maintain the donations and ensure transparency. “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),” the CJI had said as the petitioners urged the court to direct the Trust managing the shrine to publish the details of the donations received so far.
The top court had earlier directed that UP IGP Kiran S, who was heading the SIT formed initially in the matter, be also put in charge of the SIT probing the case and a forensic auditor be brought in. Two SITs were formed — first constituted by the UP government and another on the orders of the Supreme Court in July — this SIT is currently probing the case. Though some 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 bench pointed out that the “SIT is not under the Trust but constituted by and accountable and answerable to the court”.
