New Delhi: The Supreme Court said on Monday said that the Ayodhya Ram Mandir donations theft issue should not be politicised and the investigation must reach a “logical end”.
“Just a word of caution… Don’t politicise the issue. Courts are not a place for politics. It’s a simple case of commission of crime. We are just to ensure proper investigation,” Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said on Monday.
A bench of CJI Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing a batch of petitions seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged embezzlement of donation funds at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, informed the court that a status report had been submitted as per earlier directions.
Mehta said the probe is ongoing, and eight people had been arrested so far.
“Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to find out the truthfulness. Now it is being probed by the police. SIT just found that there is a cognizable offence,” Mehta said, as reported by Bar and Bench.
The SIT consisted of Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan and Inspector General of Police Kiran S.
The top court bench suggested that a reconstituted SIT could be entrusted with the investigation.
The SIT had senior members. Please have instructions if a SIT can be formed for investigation,” the CJI said.
The matter will next be heard on July 27.