Ayodhya Ram Mandir: SIT Uncovers 105 Heists on CCTV; UP Govt to File Chargesheet

In a pivotal development before the country's highest judicial forum, the Uttar Pradesh Government officially informed the Supreme Court of India on Monday that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has virtually completed its high-stakes probe into the Ayodhya Ram Mandir donation theft case, paving the way for the maiden chargesheet to be submitted within the next two to four days. Appearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that the state’s prosecuting agencies are moving swiftly to file the formal chargesheet before September 25. Mehta highlighted that the mandatory statutory ninety-day timeline following the primary arrests in the temple pilferage probe expires on September 25, underscoring that submitting the investigative findings immediately will prevent the prime accused from claiming default bail provisions under criminal procedure rules.

Apex Bench Directs Sessions Trial as SIT Submits Crucial Status Report

During the intense hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta placed the comprehensive investigative status report formulated by the SIT directly before the bench for judicial evaluation. CJI Surya Kant observed that with the SIT’s preliminary probe completed, the investigative team is free to file the chargesheet without procedural hindrance, while directing the concerned local judiciary to take immediate cognizance and proceed strictly in accordance with statutory mandates. Setting clear judicial jurisdiction for the high-profile religious trial, the apex court bench explicitly clarified that, considering the gravity of the offenses and governing statutory provisions, the case trial will be conducted before an Additional Sessions Judge rather than an ordinary magistrate’s court, ensuring elevated judicial scrutiny over the multi-accused trial.

105 Instances of Offering Theft Caught on Camera: Meticulous Digital Evidence on Record

The SIT's detailed status report, formally taken on record by the Supreme Court, revealed startling revelations regarding systematic pilferage inside the sanctum sanctorum and counting facilities of the Ayodhya shrine. Forensic investigators established that exhaustive CCTV surveillance audits uncovered at least 105 distinct instances of donation and offering theft, where individuals were captured pilfering cash and valuable contributions. The top court was apprised of the exact number of individuals arrested thus far, the sequence of confessions recorded, recovered cash troves, and forensic video frame-by-frame breakdowns used by investigators to positively identify and link the suspects to the unauthorized removal of sacred offerings.