Ram temple donation embezzlement: SIT to submit interim report on Monday
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple may submit an interim report to the Supreme Court on
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple may submit an interim report to the Supreme Court on Monday (July 20, 2026) in compliance with the apex court's directions, sources said on Friday (July 17, 2026). Sources further said the SIT may seek more time from the Uttar Pradesh government to finalise its investigation into the alleged financial irregularities related to donations received by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
The development comes days after the Supreme Court, while hearing petitions seeking a fair and time-bound probe into the alleged donation embezzlement, directed the SIT to submit a status report on its investigation. The three-member SIT, comprising Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan, was constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government on June 13 at the request of the trust. It was initially given 15 days to complete the probe, but its tenure was later extended by another 15 days.
A preliminary nine-page report submitted by the SIT to the State government on June 23 triggered a series of actions, including the registration of an FIR, the arrest of eight accused, the recovery of cash allegedly siphoned off from temple donations and the resignation of former trust general secretary Champat Rai and former trustee Anil Mishra. The final report is expected to recommend reforms in the temple's administration and donation-counting system, with the trust scheduled to meet in Ayodhya on July 22 to discuss the findings and possible corrective measures.
The Supreme Court is hearing petitions seeking a court-monitored CBI probe, a forensic audit and a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit of the trust's finances. The petitioners have also questioned the manner in which the SIT commenced its inquiry before the registration of an FIR and sought a time-bound investigation into the alleged embezzlement.
The BriefWire