Overview
- The Supreme Court, which heard petitions on Monday, directed the Uttar Pradesh‑constituted three‑member SIT to place a sealed status report in court and issued notices to the Centre, the UP government and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
- The SIT’s June 23 preliminary inquiry found about 70 suspicious CCTV incidents that showed counting staff hiding cash on their persons and described this as prima facie repeated pilferage during the donation‑counting process.
- Police have arrested eight people in the case and recovered about ₹77–80 lakh in cash and jewellery from accused individuals during searches and remands.
- Investigators are widening the probe to trace bank accounts, income, property and registrations, and the SIT plans to revisit Ayodhya to scrutinise donation records and question Trust members and counting staff.
- The controversy has pushed the Trust to review banking and security procedures, deactivate some ID credentials and accept senior resignations, and petitioners are pressing for independent CBI, forensic and CAG audits that could change how large temple donations are overseen.