The Supreme Court of India is set to hear on Monday, 14 July 2025 a batch of public interest litigations (PILs) demanding a court-supervised probe into alleged financial irregularities in the management of donations and offerings at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya. The case has drawn national attention amid reports of mishandling of temple funds and an ongoing state-level investigation.

The Bench and the Petitions

According to the causelist published on the apex court's official website, a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana is scheduled to take up the petitions. Three separate matters are listed: a writ petition filed by advocate Narendra Kumar Goswami in person, a criminal writ petition filed by Ajay Kumar Rai and another against the Trust, and a petition moved by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Sudhakar Singh.

What the Petitions Seek

Goswami's petition calls for immediate preservation of all records, CCTV footage, and digital logs relating to donations and offerings at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. It also seeks a sealed status report of the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government, and an independent forensic audit of all donations and valuables received by the Trust since its inception.

The petition argues that offerings made to a deity in a public temple constitute 'sacred trust property' vesting in the deity as a juristic person, and that those handling such offerings are fiduciaries bound by duties of transparency, accountability, and preservation. It further urges the court to direct the formulation of minimum constitutional safeguards for transparent handling of public temple donations at temples of national importance.

MP Sudhakar Singh's petition goes further, seeking a transfer of the ongoing probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under direct Supreme Court monitoring. His petition additionally demands the appointment of a temporary court-monitored oversight committee of retired judicial officers and financial experts, restrictions on major financial decisions pending investigation, a comprehensive forensic audit, and public disclosure of audited financial statements and donation logs on the Trust's official website.

Background: Urgency Denied Earlier

The road to Monday's hearing was not straightforward. When Goswami's petition was first mentioned before a Bench of Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice Sheel Nagu, an urgent listing was declined. The Bench questioned the urgency and directed that the matter be listed after the apex court reopened following the summer vacation. Goswami had pressed for immediate action, contending that the allegations raised were 'very serious'.

This comes amid the Uttar Pradesh government's constitution of a three-member SIT, which reportedly revealed irregularities, misappropriation, and mishandling of donations at the temple, according to the petitions. The cause of action, as stated in the pleas, arose directly from those public reports and the SIT's findings.

Why This Case Matters

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust oversees one of India's most prominent and heavily funded religious sites. The temple, consecrated in January 2024, receives donations from millions of devotees across the country. Allegations of financial mismanagement at such an institution carry significant legal, religious, and political weight. Notably, this is among the first major judicial challenges to the Trust's financial governance since the temple's inauguration.

The Supreme Court's decision on Monday — whether to admit the petitions, order the sought-after forensic audit, or refer the matter to a lower court — is expected to set the tone for how temple finances of national institutions are judicially scrutinised going forward.