A court has sent two accused in the Ayodhya Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case to 39 hours of police custody, days after police sought a 7-day remand to question them.
What the case is about
The case centres on alleged irregularities in donations received at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. A Special Investigation Team, or SIT, was formed to look into the alleged embezzlement. As part of that probe, police took two accused into custody and asked a court for a 7-day remand to interrogate them, but the court instead granted 39 hours of police custody.
SIT to submit interim report on Monday
The SIT investigating the case is set to submit its interim report on Monday, July 20. The report is expected to lay out the findings from the investigation so far, which will guide the next steps in the case.
Supreme Court steps in
On July 13, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Union government, the Uttar Pradesh government and the temple Trust on pleas related to the Ram Mandir donation theft case. The court has sought a report from both the Uttar Pradesh government's SIT and the temple Trust. That has widened the case beyond a local police investigation, bringing it under the watch of the country's top court as well.
What happens next
The two accused will be questioned during their 39-hour custody, after which police will have to produce them in court again. The SIT's interim report due on Monday, along with the pending hearing in the Supreme Court, will shape the direction the investigation takes and any changes made to how the temple Trust manages its donations.
