The Uttar Pradesh government has extended the tenure of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of devotees’ offerings at the Ram temple in Ayodhya by another two weeks, allowing the panel to continue its inquiry till July 30.
Event Context
Officials said the extension would enable the panel to complete its assessment and incorporate developments arising from the ongoing criminal investigation before submitting its final report to the state government.
Match Outlook
The government is also examining the recent directions of the Supreme Court in connection with the matter and is expected to take an appropriate decision on the future course of the probe in accordance with the apex court’s orders, officials said. Constituted on June 13, the SIT received its previous extension till July 15.
The present three-member SIT has been examining administrative accountability, adherence to standard operating procedures, security arrangements and the role of agencies involved in counting and handling donations. Its findings are expected to help determine whether further institutional reforms are required to prevent similar incidents in future.
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Sources familiar with the development said the three-member administrative SIT sought additional time to complete its exercise, following which the state government approved the extension.
According to sources, the government is considering reconstituting the investigative mechanism by setting up a separate criminal investigation team headed by a senior IPS officer instead of an IAS officer. The proposed panel is likely to include two additional senior police officers and would focus on the criminal aspects of the alleged cash pilferage, while the existing administrative inquiry examines procedural lapses and systemic failures.
The move comes as the state seeks to strengthen the investigation into the alleged diversion of cash donations collected from devotees at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple, a case that has already led to multiple arrests and scrutiny of cash-handling procedures at the shrine.
