SC Asks UP Govt to Consider SIT Probe 'Ram Temple Donation Case'

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to apprise it about the possibility of setting up an SIT to probe the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and cautioned the litigants not to politicise the issue.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, to take instructions on whether the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which had examined the entire



issue before registration of the FIR, could be entrusted with the responsibility to probe the case instead of the local police.

"Just a word of caution. Please don't politicise the issue. The courts are not a place for politics. It is a simple case of commission of crime. We are (here) just to ensure a proper investigation," the CJI said. At the outset, Mehta said that in compliance with an earlier order, the state government has filed a status report. "Investigation is going on. Eight persons were arrested. I cannot divulge much," he said.