Ram Temple donation probe: SC declines urgent PIL listing, case to resume post-vacation
Synopsis
The Supreme Court has declined to urgently hear a PIL demanding a court-monitored probe and forensic audit into alleged financial irregularities at the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust — even as Uttar Pradesh police have already arrested eight people and recovered jewellery from an accused's home. The apex court's refusal to fast-track the matter, pending its summer recess, leaves the criminal investigation as the only active accountability mechanism for now.
Key Takeaways
The Supreme Court on 29 June 2026 declined urgent listing of a PIL seeking a court-monitored probe into Ram Temple donation irregularities in Ayodhya .
The bench of Justice M.M.
Sundresh and Justice Sheel Nagu directed the matter be listed after the court's summer vacation.
The PIL, filed by advocate Narendra Kumar Goswami , seeks a forensic audit, preservation of CCTV footage and records, and constitutional safeguards for temple donation transparency.
Eight persons have been arrested in the criminal case; police recovered jewellery and documents from an accused's home on 28 June .
The FIR was registered after a preliminary Uttar Pradesh SIT report flagged multiple irregularities at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust .
The Supreme Court on Monday, 29 June 2026 declined to grant an urgent hearing to a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a court-monitored probe and forensic audit into the handling of donations and offerings at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya, amid allegations of financial irregularities linked to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The bench directed that the matter be listed immediately after the court reopens following its summer recess.
What Happened in Court
When the PIL was mentioned before a bench comprising Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice Sheel Nagu, the petitioner pressed for urgent listing, describing the allegations as 'very serious' and raising concerns about how the Uttar Pradesh state government was handling the matter. The bench, led by Justice Sundresh, questioned the urgency directly — asking, 'What's the urgency?' — before declining to advance the hearing and scheduling it for after the summer vacation.
What the PIL Seeks
The writ petition was filed by advocate Narendra Kumar Goswami in his personal capacity. It seeks court directions for the immediate preservation of all records, CCTV footage, and digital logs related to donations and offerings at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. The petition also calls for a forensic audit and greater transparency in the administration of temple offerings.
The plea 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. Notably, the petition clarified that it was confined strictly to the secular administration of donations and did not seek interference in religious rituals, customs, or denominational matters.
The PIL has also urged the apex court to direct the formulation of minimum constitutional safeguards for the transparent handling of public temple donations at temples of national importance.
Background: The Alleged Irregularities
According to the petition, the cause of action arose in June 2026, when public reports and the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the Uttar Pradesh government revealed allegations of irregularities, misappropriation, and mishandling of donations and offerings at the Ram Mandir. The FIR in the criminal case was registered on the complaint of a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, after a preliminary SIT report flagged multiple irregularities.
Criminal Investigation: Latest Developments
In the parallel criminal probe, police on Sunday, 28 June recovered jewellery and documents from the residence of one of the accused, following searches conducted at the homes of all eight persons arrested in connection with the alleged misappropriation. The accused were remanded to judicial custody until 29 June, with police stating that further action would depend on interrogation findings and CCTV-based evidence.
What Happens Next
The PIL will be listed before the Supreme Court immediately after it reconvenes from its summer vacation. Meanwhile, the criminal investigation by Uttar Pradesh police continues, with CCTV evidence and interrogation of the eight accused expected to shape the next course of action in the case.
Point of View
Eight people are in custody, and a state-constituted SIT has flagged irregularities at one of the country's most politically sensitive religious institutions. The real accountability question is whether the UP SIT — constituted by the same state government that has championed the Ram Temple project — can credibly investigate it. The PIL's demand for a court-monitored probe reflects precisely that concern, and the Supreme Court's post-vacation listing does not resolve it.
NationPress
29 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Supreme Court refuse to urgently hear the Ram Temple donation PIL?
The Supreme Court bench of Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice Sheel Nagu questioned the urgency of the petition and declined to advance its listing, directing instead that it be taken up immediately after the court reopens from its summer vacation. The refusal is procedural and does not reflect on the merits of the PIL.
What does the PIL filed in the Ram Temple donation case seek?
The PIL, filed by advocate Narendra Kumar Goswami, seeks a court-monitored probe and forensic audit into donations and offerings at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya. It also demands preservation of all CCTV footage, digital logs, and records, and the formulation of constitutional safeguards for transparent handling of public temple donations.
Who has been arrested in the Ram Temple donation irregularities case?
Eight persons have been arrested in connection with the alleged misappropriation of donations and offerings at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. They were remanded to judicial custody until 29 June 2026, with police conducting searches at all eight residences and recovering jewellery and documents from one accused's home.
What triggered the Ram Temple donation controversy?
The controversy emerged in June 2026 when public reports surfaced and the Uttar Pradesh government constituted an SIT after a preliminary report flagged multiple irregularities in the handling of donations and offerings at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir. An FIR was subsequently registered on the complaint of a Trust member.
What is the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust?
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is the body entrusted with the administration and management of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. It was constituted by the Union government following the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict on the Ayodhya title dispute.
