Ayodhya Ram mandir donation row: On SC suggestion, SIT to include a forensic auditor

NEW DELHI: The UP government on Monday immediately accepted Supreme Court's suggestion for inclusion of a chartered accountant having expertise in forensic audit in the three-member SIT, constituted on the Supreme Court's July 20 order to investigate alleged embezzlement of donations to Ayodhya Ram mandir managed by Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.As soon as a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana sought to know the UP govt's view on inclusion of a chartered accountant having expertise in forensic audit in the SIT headed by IGP Kiran S, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said, "Without taking instructions from the govt, I am assuring the court that such an expert will be drafted into the SIT."The bench said, "We want an expeditious, fair and transparent investigation into all aspects of allegations relating to alleged misappropriation of donation funds for the temple managed by the trust."Appearing for a PIL petitioner, advocate Devadatt Kamat said since there were allegations of siphoning out of donations meant for temple construction from across the country, the trust should be asked to upload all receipts of donations on its website."This will help devotees identify whether their donations for construction of the temple and thereafter have been accounted for or not," Kamat said and requested the court to entrust supervision of the SIT probe to a retired Supreme Court judge. The SG objected and said, "We must trust the Supreme Court and three honourable judges who are monitoring it."The CJI-led bench turned down Kamat's request and said, "When we are monitoring the probe being carried out by the SIT, there is no need of any supervision by a retired judge. The SIT will transparently investigate all aspects of allegations relating to siphoning of funds." It asked the SIT to submit a probe status report in two weeks.During the last hearing, the bench had warned petitioners against politicising the issue and assured that there would be fair, impartial, transparent and expeditious investigation by the SIT. Supreme Court said if the SIT experienced any impediment from any quarter in carrying out the investigation, it should approach Supreme Court without loss of time.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.