Court appointed special investigation team in connection to the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is set to file its first charge sheet on or before September 25th, the Supreme Court was told on Monday by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.
Addressing a bench comprising Chief Justice Suryakant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the SIT said that the statutory ninety period ninety-day period from the first arrest in the case would lapse soon.
“Ninety days from the date of the first arrest are going to be over on September 25, so we will have to file the chargesheet, otherwise, they (the accused) will get default bail,” Mehta said.
The apex court had also urged the SIT to submit detailed status report in a sealed cover. Under Section 167(2) of the CrPC, an accused becomes entitled to grant of statutory bail if the probe agency fails to file its charge sheet in the trial court within the stipulated period of either 60 days or 90 days. Section 187 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita replaces Section 167(2) of the erstwhile CrPC. The apex court had earlier asked the probing agency to complete its investigation expeditiously and take a logical conclusion.
On July 27, the Supreme Court, taking note of the, set up a four-member SIT headed by IGP Kiran S to probe the alleged theft of the Ram Temple donations.
Observing that remedial actions will have to be taken, the bench said steps will be taken to ensure transparency. It earlier urged the Uttar Pradesh government to also include a forensic auditor in the probe team. On July 20th, the UP government was asked to apprise it about the possibility of setting up an SIT probe to probe the alleged donations theft case.
Earlier on July 13, The bench had directed the U.P. police to submit a status report in the matter. It had also issued a notice to Shriram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust and the police seeking a fair and time-bound probe in the case.
After allegations of irregularities in the management of the donations to the Ram Temple, several petitioners, including RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, moved the apex court seeking a CBI probe and a forensic audit of the finances of the temple’s trust.