Supreme Court orders SIT report on Ram Temple donations

The Supreme Court on Monday, July 13, 2026, directed a state-appointed Special Investigation Team to submit a status report on its probe into alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The court also issued formal notices to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the temple, and sought responses from the Uttar Pradesh and central governments.

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed the SIT to detail its composition and the progress of its investigation. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing both governments, offered to submit the report in a sealed cover and noted that the SIT was already investigating and had made arrests. The court scheduled the next hearing for July 20 to review the report and the petitions.

The petitions before the court call for an independent, court-monitored investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation, a forensic audit, and a review of the trust's finances by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The petitioners allege financial irregularities and inadequate oversight in the handling of cash and valuables donated by devotees. They have also urged the court to order the...