Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday dismissed the SIT probing the Ram Temple donation scam as an "eyewash" and not legally valid.
Kejriwal, who landed at Lucknow airport on his way to Ayodhya, alleged that the SIT, or Special Investigation Team, was intended to protect influential people rather than uncover the truth.
He was received by hundreds of party workers at the airport. Addressing reporters at the airport, Kejriwal lamented the alleged theft of valuables and cash received in donations by the grand temple.
"Diamonds and precious stones that devotees offered to God have been stolen, Rs 200 crore in cash has been stolen, and even 200 kilograms of silver have been stolen," he said.
"I am deeply distressed. There are crores and crores of people like me who are deeply distressed. That is why I am going to Ayodhya. Tomorrow I will visit the Ram Temple and offer prayers to Lord Ram, and I will also visit Hanumangarhi," the former Delhi chief minister said.
The AAP leader also questioned the SIT and the absence of an FIR despite evidence of theft. "In this case, donations worth billions of rupees have allegedly been stolen, some money has even been recovered, yet no FIR has been registered," he said.
"An SIT cannot be formed without an FIR. The CrPC states that an SIT can be constituted only after an FIR is registered. Under which law has this SIT been formed?" Kejriwal asked.
"This SIT has no power to conduct an investigation. This SIT is merely a fraud, an attempt to throw dust in people's eyes. Its only purpose is to protect influential people and cover up the entire matter," he alleged.
Earlier in the day, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh appeared before the SIT probing the alleged Ram Temple donation scam and related cases and submitted documents which he claimed contained evidence of corruption.
The Uttar Pradesh government had constituted the SIT on June 13, following a request from the temple trust after allegations of malfeasance surfaced.
On Tuesday, the team submitted its preliminary inquiry report to the Uttar Pradesh government.
The report was submitted by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad, who is an ex officio member of the trust.
(With inputs PTI)