The Congress on Tuesday questioned the delay in filing the chargesheet in the alleged donation embezzlement case at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and demanded a forensic audit of the temple trust’s financial and management systems.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case should ensure complete transparency and take strict action against those responsible.
His remarks came a day after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court that the SIT would file its first chargesheet on or before September 25.
The deadline marks the completion of the statutory 90-day period from the first arrest in the case, after which the accused could become eligible for default bail if the chargesheet is not filed.
Ramesh cited a media report stating that forensic examination of CCTV footage from the temple premises had revealed 105 instances of alleged donation theft, against 70 incidents reported in the preliminary probe.
In a post on X, he used a play on the lyrics of the 1971 Hindi film song Ram ka naam badnaam na karo to attack the BJP over the alleged theft.
“Chanda chori, Aastha dhokha. ‘Dekho o BJP walon, tum ye kaam na karo, ram ka naam badnam na karo, badnam na karo!’” he said.
Ramesh alleged that the delay in filing the chargesheet had raised questions about whether the “big fish” in the case were being protected. He also questioned the alleged silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded to know why the temple trust had not been dissolved.
“The question now is not just about the accused, but also about the accountability of those under whose watch this all happened,” he said.
The Congress has sought a forensic audit of the entire system, action against those responsible and a transparent investigation. It has also sought a probe under the supervision of the Supreme Court.
On Monday, the Supreme Court, hearing pleas seeking an investigation into alleged irregularities in the management of donations at the temple, was informed that the SIT would file its chargesheet by September 25.
Mehta told a Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant that the 90-day period from the first arrest would expire on September 25 and that the chargesheet would have to be filed to prevent the accused from claiming statutory bail.
The court also perused the SIT’s detailed status report submitted in a sealed cover and had earlier directed the agency to complete the investigation expeditiously.
Under Section 167(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, an accused may claim statutory bail if the investigating agency fails to file a chargesheet within the prescribed period of 60 or 90 days, depending on the offence.
The allegations of irregularities in the management of donations at the temple had led several petitioners, including RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, to approach the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe and a forensic audit of the finances of the temple trust.
(With inputs from PTI)
