Supreme Court seeking inquiry into allegations of misappropriation of Ayodhya temple donations

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.

The representation was addressed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and filed by Advocate-on-Record Anoop Prakash Awasthi. It 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.

Stating that the issue concerns the faith and confidence of millions of devotees, the representation said recent reports of alleged irregularities, misappropriation, or disappearance of donation funds linked to the Ram Temple have caused concern among devotees in India and abroad. It noted that the Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

However, it argued that the absence of a formal criminal investigation and FIR has raised questions about the institutional response to the matter. The representation contended that the SIT, by itself, is inadequate. It said a large section of devotees may continue to harbour doubts about the independence of the inquiry unless it is conducted under the supervision of a Constitutional court.

Seeking judicial intervention, the representation urged the Supreme Court to direct a CBI investigation under its monitoring. It also sought the creation of a mechanism to preserve and protect donated funds and called for an examination of all aspects relating to the collection, accounting, custody, management, and disbursement of donations received by the temple.