The Supreme Court, on Monday, said that it will not pass any order directly or indirectly -- in the Ram Temple theft case -- which will bind the hands
of additional sessions judges where the chargesheet will be filed. However, the court asked the SIT to submit a copy of the chargesheet whenever it is filed. During the hearing, the Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, informed the Supreme Court that the chargesheet in the Ram Temple donation theft case by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) will be filed before September 25, adding its probe in the donation theft case, is almost complete. SG Mehta told the court that as 90 days after the arrest of the first accused is going to be complete, the SC-monitored SIT charge sheet will be submitted, otherwise, there are chances that the first accused may be let out on default bail. “Ninety days from the date of the first arrest are going to be over on September 25, so we will have to file the chargesheet, otherwise, they (the accused) will get default bail,” Mehta said. Under Section 167 (2) of the CrPC, an accused becomes entitled to grant of statutory bail if the probe agency fails to file the chargesheet in the trial court within the stipulated period of either 60 or 90 days. Section 187 of the new Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) replaces Section 167(2) of the erstwhile CrPC. The Chief Justice of India (CJI)-led bench also noted certain portions of the status report submitted by the SIT. The status report of the SIT mentions that there is strong evidence against eight accused who have been arrested in the Ram Temple theft case.
What SG Told SC on SIT:
- Extracts of CCTV footage, mobile data key evidence.
- All CCTV footage secured.
- Some of the accused have been identified from CCTV footage.
- There is evidence of an unexplained deposit of cash in the account of some accused.
- Clear evidence of embezzlement, misappropriation of temple funds.
- SIT has gathered information about 803 valuable items missing.
- Witnesses include Trust officials and CCTV operators.
SC Seeks Status Report Copy In Sealed Cover
The top court also perused a detailed status report submitted by the SIT in a sealed cover. It had earlier asked the SIT to complete its investigation expeditiously and take it to a logical conclusion.
It had directed the SIT to file its status report in a sealed cover on the progress made in the investigation into the donations theft case.
On July 27, the top court took note of the setting up of the four-member SIT headed by IGP Kiran S to probe the alleged embezzlement of donations.
It had asked the Uttar Pradesh government to also include a forensic auditor in the probe team.
Observing that “remedial actions will have to be taken”, the bench had said steps will be taken to “ensure transparency”.
The bench had also directed the SIT to submit a status report in two weeks.
On July 20, the bench asked the Uttar Pradesh government to apprise it about the possibility of setting up an SIT to probe the alleged embezzlement of donations.
On July 13, the bench had directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to submit a status report in the matter.
It had also issued a notice to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on pleas seeking a fair and time-bound probe into the alleged donations theft.
After allegations of irregularities in the management of donations surfaced at the Ram temple, several petitioners, including RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, moved the apex court seeking a probe by the CBI and a forensic audit of the finances of the temple trust.
The Supreme Court will hear the matter next month.
With inputs from PTI
