Include forensic auditor in Ram Temple SIT, SC tells U.P.
The Supreme Court directed the Uttar Pradesh SIT into Ram temple donation irregularities to add an independent forensic auditor with forensic auditing expertise.
- A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is a police task force set up to investigate a specific allegation; in court-supervised cases, the court can order how such teams are constituted and monitored.
- Forensic auditing means examining accounts and transactions to find inconsistencies and trace money trails for legal investigation.
- Courts can supervise investigation details in public interest and criminal matters by directing team composition and asking for time-bound status reports.
- The Supreme Court questioned whether the earlier SIT that found prima facie evidence should oversee the investigation after reconstitution.
What happened
The Supreme Court asked the Uttar Pradesh government to associate an independent forensic auditor with the reconstituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating alleged theft or misappropriation of donations linked to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple trust. During a hearing of petitions seeking an independent probe into alleged financial irregularities, a three-judge Bench led by the Chief Justice directed the SIT to file a status report within two weeks on investigation progress.
The Supreme Court noted that the investigation relates to allegations of misuse of trust funds and agreed that forensic auditing expertise should be part of the investigative process. The Court directed that an eminent independent chartered accountant with forensic auditing expertise be added to the SIT.
The Supreme Court’s direction focuses on strengthening the credibility of an investigation into alleged misuse of a temple trust’s donation funds by adding an independent forensic auditor and requiring a near-term status report. The issue fits judicial supervision over investigative processes and accountability in the handling of public-linked donations.
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