On 3 July 2026, Sudhakar Singh, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) member of parliament representing Buxar, filed a writ petition (criminal) diary number 39221/2026 before the Supreme Court of India. The petition, titled Sudhakar Singh v. Union of India and others, seeks judicial directions concerning the financial administration of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the body entrusted with the construction and management of the Ram temple at Ayodhya.
The petitioner states that the litigation does not intend to interfere with any religious practices or temple rituals. Instead, the focus is confined to the secular financial management of the Trust. The plea is premised on recent allegations of financial irregularities, an ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe, and the reported recovery of a cash trail amounting to Rs 77 lakh.
The petitioner argues that the Trust, having received substantial public donations having been made towards the temple project, is obligated to maintain transparency and accountability in its financial dealings. It is contended that judicial oversight is necessary to safeguard public interest and to ensure that donations are utilised for the intended purpose.
Among the principal prayers, the petition seeks the transfer of the ongoing investigation from the state police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court. The petitioner further requests the constitution of a temporary, court‑monitored Oversight Committee comprising retired judicial officers and financial experts to supervise the Trust’s secular financial affairs during the pendency of the inquiry.
To preserve the integrity of the evidence, the petition asks the Court to direct the Trust to preserve all financial records, including physical documents, digital ledgers, UPI transaction logs and bank statements, to prevent any alleged tampering. The petitioner also seeks an order restraining the Trust from undertaking major investments, entering into substantial contracts or taking significant financial decisions without the prior approval of the proposed Oversight Committee.
The PIL additionally seeks a comprehensive forensic audit of all donations, transactions and assets of the Trust by an independent agency of unquestionable credibility, with the audit report to be placed before the Supreme Court. It further requests that the Trust be directed to publish audited financial statements and donation records on its official website, while protecting confidential or sensitive donor information where necessary.
As an interim measure, the petition seeks ex parte ad interim orders constituting the court‑monitored Oversight Committee and restraining the Trust from taking major financial, administrative or policy decisions—including award of contracts, investments, alienation of assets and appointment to key administrative posts—without prior approval of the Committee until completion of the investigation or further orders of the Court.
The petitioner also asks the Court to direct the Trust to place before it a complete statement of all donations and contributions received since its constitution, covering cash donations, bank transfers, digital payments, foreign contributions, donations in kind, gold, silver and other valuables, together with details regarding their accounting, custody and utilisation.
The matter was filed through advocate Satyam Singh Rajput and advocate‑on‑record Jaswanthi A. Earlier in the week, the Supreme Court had declined urgent listing of two other petitions seeking a court‑monitored investigation into alleged misappropriation of donations for the Ram Mandir. The present petition is now pending before the Court for consideration.