Seers, former Babri litigant welcome new SIT for Ram Temple embezzlement probe
Ayodhya: Hindu saints in Ayodhya and former litigant in the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid case, Iqbal Ansari, welcomed the Uttar Pradesh government’s move to reconstitute the Special Investigation Team (SIT), following a Supreme Court order regarding the alleged misappropriation of donations and offerings made at the Ram Temple.
Speaking to IANS, Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya of Tapaswi Chhawani thanked the apex court for reframing of the SIT which, he hoped, will clear the image of the Ram Temple and therefore keep the temple town’s sanctity intact.
“We are hopeful that the senior officials of the SIT will carry out their responsibilities with full dedication and honesty and the stain of this misappropriation of donation will be removed,” he said.
The seer added: “I hope such an incident doesn’t ever get repeated.”
Saint Varun Das also welcomed the formation of the new SIT, hoping that this team will conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the embezzlement allegation.
“We hope the investigation would be conducted to the satisfaction of the devotees of Lord Ram,” he said while asserting that Shri Ram Janmbhoomi is not just a temple or establishment but the “centre of faith”.
Echoing similar view, former litigant in the Babri Masjid case Iqbal Ansari said: “The formation of the committee for Ayodhya is a welcome step. The government should ensure that there is no negligence in its oversight and management. The committee that has been constituted is a good one because all the members appointed to it are residents of Ayodhya.”
He added that the appointed officials have the knowledge of how the temple town functions and urged the devotees to have faith in the investigation.
According to reports, the newly constituted SIT includes three senior IPS officers, with Inspector General (IG) Kiran S leading the team. The new SIT will also has Ayodhya Deputy Inspector General of Police Somen Verma and Ayodhya Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Grover as its members.
The move comes after the Supreme Court ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to constitute a fresh SIT under the leadership of a senior IPS officer.
The bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohan, had directed that a status report of the investigation be submitted on July 27.