Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 2: The Supreme Court on Monday clarified that it had expressed no opinion on the merits of the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ayodhya Ram temple and allowed the trial to proceed before the local court, while disposing of petitions seeking an independent investigation into the matter.

The Uttar Pradesh government informed a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had filed a chargesheet in the case.

Appearing for the state government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench that the SIT investigation had found that donations collected at the temple were allegedly misappropriated during the counting process.

Mehta submitted that some of the accused had allegedly invested the misappropriated money in properties, while others had deposited it in bank accounts.

Taking the government's submissions on record, the Supreme Court permitted the petitioners, who had sought an independent probe, to assist the local court in Ayodhya during the trial.

The bench made it clear that its order should not be treated as an expression of opinion on the allegations or the merits of the case, leaving the issues to be examined by the trial court.

The Supreme Court also declined to entertain a fresh petition seeking a determination on whether the Ram temple stands on the land adjudicated in the main Ayodhya dispute.

Earlier, on September 21, the court-appointed SIT had informed the Supreme Court that it would file its first chargesheet in the alleged donation embezzlement case on or before September 25.

The matter will now proceed before the local court, where the allegations and evidence will be examined in accordance with law.