A Supreme Court petition has sought the registration of an FIR and a court-monitored CBI-led probe into allegations of embezzlement and financial irregularities involving funds linked to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, pushing a politically sensitive controversy into the country’s highest court.
The plea, filed on Monday by practising advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav, has asked the court to order a fair, independent and time-bound investigation into the handling of donations and administrative affairs of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. It has also sought the creation of regulatory, supervisory and audit mechanisms to protect public interest and maintain the confidence of devotees and donors.
The petition argues that allegations of missing funds, irregular accounting and other purported illegalities should not be left only to a preliminary inquiry. It has sought a multi-disciplinary Special Investigation Team led by the Central Bureau of Investigation, with financial and criminal investigation expertise, to examine the records, identify responsibility and determine whether any cognisable offences were committed.
The plea comes as a three-member Special Investigation Team constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government is already examining allegations linked to donations and offerings at the Ayodhya temple. The state-appointed team includes Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S, and Finance Department Special Secretary Neel Ratan. It was formed on June 13 after the temple trust requested an inquiry amid growing public and political pressure over claims of misappropriation.
Investigators have examined aspects of cash counting, the appointment of personnel handling donations and the custody of offerings. Trust member Dr Anil Mishra has been questioned as part of the inquiry, while officials and functionaries linked to the temple administration have been asked to remain available in Ayodhya as the probe continues.
The petitioners have contended that an inquiry without an FIR or a regular criminal case may not be sufficient in a matter involving public faith and large-scale donations. They have also sought preservation of financial documents, digital records, accounts, bank trails and internal communications connected with the receipt, custody and use of temple funds.
The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust was set up in 2020 after the Supreme Court’s 2019 verdict cleared the way for construction of the Ram Temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. The trust was entrusted with the construction, management and related affairs of the temple, which has drawn donations from devotees across the country and abroad.
The consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple took place in January 2024, drawing national attention and large-scale religious mobilisation. The temple has since become one of the country’s most prominent pilgrimage centres, with substantial daily offerings and a continuing flow of contributions for temple-related activities.
The latest controversy has widened beyond legal questions into a political confrontation. Opposition leaders have demanded either a judicial inquiry or a probe by central agencies, arguing that public confidence cannot be restored by an internal or state-led process alone. Some have alleged that the amount involved could run into several crore rupees, though no official figure has been judicially established.
The trust and state authorities have maintained that the inquiry will bring out the facts. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said the truth will emerge soon and urged restraint, saying allegations should not be made in a manner that hurts the sentiments of devotees. His remarks followed demands from political parties and religious figures for greater transparency in the accounting of donations.
The Supreme Court will now have to decide whether the petition merits judicial intervention at this stage, particularly when a state-level SIT is already functioning. The court may also consider whether the nature of the allegations requires registration of an FIR, transfer of the matter to a central agency or continued monitoring by a constitutional court.
