# SC orders quick end to Ram temple donation theft probe 2026-08-18T00:27:52+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets (3 source reports) The Supreme Court on Monday directed the court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya to complete its investigation expeditiously and take it to a logical conclusion. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana ordered the SIT to file a status report in a sealed cover on the progress made. The bench asked the SIT to objectively consider any suggestions from litigants for improving the investigation and its transparency. Petitioners, including RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, have sought a CBI probe and a forensic audit of the temple trust's finances. The court permitted such petitioners and others to submit suggestions to the office of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who will forward them to the SIT. The court said it may later issue directions for reforms in donation management. The first SIT, formed on June 13 on chief minister Yogi Adityanath's direction, submitted its final report to the Uttar Pradesh government. The home department has handed it over to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Sources said that report does not name former trust general secretary Champat Rai or ex-trust member Anil Mishra. Eight accused named in an FIR have been arrested. The Supreme Court-appointed second SIT, headed by IGP Kiran S, continues its investigation. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com - hindustantimes.com (2) - rediff.com This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources. Last updated 2026-08-18T02:31:37+00:00. Tags: Ayodhya Ram Temple, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Supreme Court of India, Uttar Pradesh government, Yogi Adityanath Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/ayodhya-temple-theft-report-submitted-supreme-court-seeks-sit-update/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/ayodhya-temple-theft-report-submitted-supreme-court-seeks-sit-update/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/