In compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive, the Uttar Pradesh government has reconstituted the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate alleged irregularities in donations and offerings at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple. The newly formed SIT is led by Inspector General (IG) Kiran S and includes senior IPS officers DIG Ayodhya Somen Verma and SSP Ayodhya Dr Gaurav Grover. This action follows the Supreme Court’s order for a fresh SIT formation under a senior IPS officer’s leadership.
The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant along with Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohan, mandated the submission of a status report on the investigation by July 27. To date, Ayodhya Police have arrested eight suspects in connection with the embezzlement allegations. Investigators have seized cash, vehicles, investment-related documents, and other assets believed to have been purchased using misappropriated funds.
Meanwhile, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, in a recent meeting, postponed the selection of its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) by approximately a month. However, the Trust appointed a spokesperson to manage the temple’s communications effectively. The Trust also finalized the appointment of a full-time General Secretary and decided to restructure its religious committee to ensure the preservation of traditional practices and purity in the temple’s rituals and worship.
The newly formed religious committee consists of nine members, including prominent figures like Jagadguru Shankaracharya Jyotishpeethadhipati and Swami Yugpurush Parmanand Ji. Additionally, the Trust released updated images of the Ram Mandir, showcasing a significant number of devotees visiting daily to offer prayers to Ram Lalla, despite the ongoing embezzlement controversy. The Trust emphasized that the continuous flow of pilgrims reflects devotees’ steadfast faith amidst the administrative issues.
