India
Ayodhya SIT finds no gaps in 803 temple donation records
The Indian Express··4d ago
A Supreme Court bench led by CJI Surya Kant reviewed a September 16 SIT status report on Ayodhya temple donations Monday. The report said 803 valuable articles in a State Bank locker showed no discrepancies. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the SIT plans a chargesheet on or before September 25, before 90 days from the first arrest end.
Prism
What It Means For You
- The bench is monitoring the probe after petitioners sought an independent investigation into alleged donation theft at the Ram temple.
- Trust records on about 944.411 kg of white metal sent for melting were also examined, the order said.
- Eight accused persons have been identified, with CCTV showing 105 instances of unauthorised currency removal from the counting room.
What's Happening
- The SIT found no discrepancies in handling 200 kg of silver bricks, 38.288 kg of silver bricks and related donations named in the report.
- Statements of 173 witnesses had been recorded as of September 14, including trust functionaries and banking officials.
- The court noted the SIT is accountable to the court, not to the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
What the court ordered
- The SIT was formed after the Supreme Court ordered an independent probe following media and social media allegations.
- A forensic auditor joined the investigation after a further court direction.
- Mehta told the bench that without a chargesheet by September 25, arrested persons could secure bail when 90 days elapse.
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