A formal representation has been submitted before the Supreme Court of India seeking directions for the registration of an FIR and a court-monitored CBI investigation into alleged misappropriation of donations and offerings at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. The plea, filed on 15 June, was addressed to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant.

What the Representation Seeks

The representation was filed by Advocate-on-Record Anoop Prakash Awasthi, who urged the apex court to direct an independent probe by a premier agency — specifically the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) — under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court. Awasthi also sought a mechanism to preserve and protect donated funds, and a comprehensive examination of all aspects of the collection, accounting, custody, management, and disbursement of temple donations.

'A matter involving offerings made to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir transcends questions of ordinary financial impropriety. It concerns the faith of countless devotees. The issue is not merely whether a monetary loss has occurred; the issue is whether public confidence in the management of one of the most revered religious institutions in the world remains intact,' the representation stated.

Why the State SIT Is Deemed Insufficient

Following directions from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police (Lucknow Range) Kiran S., and Finance Department Special Secretary Neel Ratan. The team has reportedly been asked to submit a preliminary report within seven days and a final report within 15 days.

However, the representation argued that the state-constituted SIT is, by itself, inadequate. It contended that a large section of devotees may continue to harbour apprehensions regarding the independence of any inquiry unless it is conducted under the supervision of a Constitutional court. Critically, the representation noted that no FIR has yet been registered despite allegations involving donations made by crores of devotees — a gap it said risks creating the impression that the matter is being treated as an administrative irregularity rather than a potentially serious criminal breach of trust.

Allegations and Background

The controversy centres on reports of alleged irregularities, misappropriation, or disappearance of donation funds linked to the Ram Temple. The representation also referred to reports alleging that certain individuals associated with donation management were found in possession of assets disproportionate to their known sources of income, while clarifying that establishing or disproving such allegations is a matter for competent investigation.

The issue gained political momentum after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that crores of rupees from temple offerings had gone missing and called for judicial intervention. This is not merely a financial dispute, the representation emphasised — contributions made by devotees are sacred offerings reflecting faith and trust, and allegations concerning them carry a dimension larger than an ordinary monetary matter.

What the Trust and Temple Officials Said

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has itself sought an SIT probe, stating that rumours and misleading information were being circulated on social media and that an impartial investigation was necessary to place the facts before the public. Temple trust camp office in-charge Prakash Gupta said that donations received at counters are accepted only against receipts, and suggested that any discrepancy, if established, could be linked to the counting of money deposited in donation boxes rather than receipt-based collections.

The representation was careful to note: 'I do not seek to prejudge any individual, institution or authority. Nor do I intend to cast any aspersions upon the Trust, whose members have rendered invaluable service. However, the gravity of the allegations and the extraordinary significance of the institution involved require a level of transparency and credibility beyond ordinary standards.'

What Happens Next

The Supreme Court is yet to formally take up the representation. If the apex court agrees to hear the matter, it could either direct a CBI probe under its own monitoring or defer to the state's SIT process — with the outcome likely to set a precedent for how allegations involving major religious institutions are handled under Indian law. The state SIT's preliminary report is expected within days, which may influence the court's initial reading of the matter.