NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya will file its first chargesheet in the case on or before September 25, a CJI-led bench was informed on Monday.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench that the chargesheet would have to be filed as the statutory 90-day period from the first arrest in the case would lapse soon.“Ninety days from the date of the first arrest are going to be over on September 25, so we will have to file the chargesheet, otherwise, they (the accused) will get default bail,” Mehta said.The bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, also perused a detailed status report submitted by the SIT in a sealed cover.Under Section 167(2) of the CrPC, an accused becomes entitled to statutory bail if the investigating agency fails to file a chargesheet in the trial court within the stipulated period of 60 or 90 days.The bench had earlier directed the probe team to complete its investigation expeditiously and take it to its logical conclusion. It had also asked the SIT to file a status report in a sealed cover on the progress of the probe into the alleged theft of donations.
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The Supreme court had taken note of the formation of a four-member SIT headed by IGP Kiran S to investigate the alleged embezzlement of donations and directed the Uttar Pradesh government to include a forensic auditor in the probe team.Observing that “remedial actions will have to be taken”, the bench had said steps would be taken to “ensure transparency” and directed the SIT to submit a status report.The court’s directions came after allegations of irregularities surfaced in the management of donations at the Ram Temple. Several petitioners approached the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe and a forensic audit of the temple trust’s finances.(With PTI inputs)