India Supreme Court Considers Deferring Ram Temple Probe Hearings

The Supreme Court of India agreed on August 10 to consider deferring hearings on several petitions seeking a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The adjournment request was filed by counsel for the Government of Uttar Pradesh, citing the absence of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was attending a United Nations function.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant previously noted the formation of a four-member SIT headed by IGP Kiran S and ordered the inclusion of a forensic auditor to ensure transparency. The government reported that eight people have already been arrested as part of the ongoing investigation.

Petitioners, including RJD MP Sudhakar Singh and Narendra Kumar Goswami, continue to call for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe and audits by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) regarding the financial management of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.