The Supreme Court declined an urgent hearing on a PIL requesting a court-monitored investigation and forensic audit of donations received by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The plea raised concerns about financial irregularities linked to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The Bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Sheel Nagu postponed the listing of the plea post-summer vacation, questioning the urgency of the matter.
Advocate Narendra Kumar Goswami filed the writ petition seeking transparency in the administration of temple offerings and preservation of donation records at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. The petition emphasizes that offerings to a deity in a public temple are considered sacred trust property. It calls for the preservation of evidence like CCTV footage and digital logs related to donations at the temple in Ayodhya.
The PIL also urges the Supreme Court to establish constitutional safeguards for transparent handling of public temple donations. It refers to recent developments in June 2026 when reports and an SIT investigation by the Uttar Pradesh government revealed alleged irregularities in handling donations at the Ram Mandir. The petition clarifies that it focuses on the secular administration of donations, not religious matters.
In a related criminal investigation, police recovered jewelry and documents from the home of an accused involved in the misappropriation of donations at the Ram Mandir. Eight individuals were arrested in connection with the case, following a complaint by a member of the Trust. The accused are in judicial custody until June 29, pending further action based on interrogation and CCTV evidence.
