Other1 min read

Ayodhya Temple Donation Row: SIT files chargesheet

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The Supreme Court closed proceedings on petitions regarding the embezzlement of Ram temple donations after a Special Investigation Team submitted its chargesheet. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench that accused individuals diverted funds during the counting stage into property investments and bank deposits. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, permitted the original petitioners to assist the local trial court in Ayodhya. Additionally, the judges refused to hear a separate plea questioning the exact land boundaries of the temple site.

Key points

  • Legal proceedings regarding the temple donation embezzlement will now move forward entire…: Legal proceedings regarding the temple donation embezzlement will now move forward entirely within the local Ayodhya trial court.
  • The Supreme Court explicitly refrained from expressing any formal opinion on the actual m…: The Supreme Court explicitly refrained from expressing any formal opinion on the actual merits of the embezzlement charges.
  • The top court formally declined to consider a separate petition challenging the specific…: The top court formally declined to consider a separate petition challenging the specific land parcel where the temple is constructed.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

The Supreme Court on Monday took note of the Uttar Pradesh government's submission that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has filed a chargesheet in the Ayodhya Ram temple donations embezzlement case, and disposed of petitions, saying the local court will proceed with the trial.

Appearing for the UP government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana that the SIT probe found that donations at the temple were embezzled during the counting process.

Mehta said some of the accused have invested in properties while others have kept the embezzled amount in banks as deposits.

The bench took on record the submissions, permitted the writ petitioners, who approached the top court for an independent probe into the misappropriation of the donations, to assist the Ayodhya local court in the trial of the Ram temple fund embezzlement case.

It disposed of the petitions, saying that the court has not expressed any opinion on the merits of the Ram Temple donation embezzlement case.

The top court also refused to entertain a fresh…

Other