Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Monday demanded a Supreme Court‑led probe into the Ayodhya Ram temple donation theft case after a 21‑day delay between the video of 105 alleged thefts and the filing of an FIR. The video reached former trust secretary Champat Rai on June 4, CCTV footage was viewed on June 5, and the FIR was lodged on June 25.
Ramesh slammed the delay, arguing that the time lapse masks a wider cover‑up by those overseeing the temple administration. He pointed out that only eight individuals were named as accused, while the footage showed a larger group of offenders. The case has recovered ₹79.85 lakh, a fraction of the amount allegedly stolen.
The former general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Champat Rai, and trust member Anil Mishra resigned in June after the allegations surfaced. The trust had earlier promised a fair inquiry, but critics say the investigation has focused merely on catching petty thieves.
Ramesh accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of silence, claiming the government protects those who allegedly shield the thieves. He urged the Modi administration to answer why the investigation stopped short of holding higher‑level officials accountable.
The Congress has called for an independent investigation supervised by the Supreme Court, stating that only a transparent probe can establish the full truth behind the thefts. The court is slated to review the request and decide whether to oversee the inquiry.