Ram Temple Donation Theft: SIT Tells Supreme Court CCTV Examination Found 105 Cash Removal Instances
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The Special Investigation Team probing alleged financial irregularities at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir told the Supreme Court on Monday that CCTV footage and digital data from the counting room revealed 105 instances of unauthorised currency removal and concealment involving eight accused individuals.
A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana perused the SIT status report dated 16 September while hearing public interest litigations seeking an independent inquiry and comprehensive financial audit of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
Detailed Electronic And Forensic Evidence Gathered
The status report details how investigators secured digital records from the Passenger Facilitation Centre building where donation counting takes place. According to the court order recording the SIT submissions, the 105 instances of cash concealment and removal occurred with assistance from multiple individuals involved in the physical tallying process.
The investigation, launched following an FIR registered on 25 June 2026, identified eight accused persons who had unexplained cash deposits in their bank accounts. SIT officials tracked movable and immovable assets purchased using stolen proceeds, while forensic auditing firm ASA & Associates LLP scrutinised accounting personnel bank statements, mobile data, and online donation reconciliations.
Investigators recorded statements from 173 witnesses, including Trust functionaries, bank officials, chartered accountants, vendors, and security staff. Physical verification of 803 valuable items stored in a State Bank of India locker showed no discrepancies against receipts generated by TCS software, while 86 unreceipted items were separately verified and catalogued.
Verification Of Silver Donations And Public Claims
The SIT also addressed public claims regarding large-scale silver donations. Investigators verified records for approximately 944.411 kilograms of white metal sent by the Trust to the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited for melting.
Separate inquiries into social media reports concerning donations—including 200 kilograms of silver bricks, a 38.288-kilogram consignment, silver necklaces, Charan Padukas, and Ramcharitmanas offerings—yielded no discrepancies after direct interviews with donors and custodians.
Chargesheet To Be Filed Before 25 September
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the State of Uttar Pradesh, informed the Supreme Court that the SIT will file its formal chargesheet on or before 25 September, completing the statutory requirement within 90 days of the first arrest.
The bench directed that a copy of the chargesheet, prepared under Section 193 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, be submitted directly to the court. The justices noted that further proceedings and supplementary inquiries can continue under Section 193(9) of the BNSS if fresh evidence emerges.
The Supreme Court posted the matter for its next detailed hearing on 2 November 2026.
