New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS): The Congress on Thursday alleged a scam in the Ayodhya land deals and demanded that the Supreme Court order a judicial inquiry to probe the acquiring and selling of lands for the Ram Mandir Trust.

Addressing a press conference here, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "Bhagwan Ram is a symbol of honesty and the BJP-backed leaders and officers have profited from the trust meant for the temple construction."

She said, "The temple is being built following court orders and the enquiry should be done by the court only as district level officers can't investigate against the leaders."

The Congress alleged that in the sale deeds the signatures of Ram Mandir Trust members are on the papers. She alleged that Champat Rai, the Trust secretary knows about the scam, and Anil Mishra, a member of the RSS and a member in the Trust and Rishikesh Upadhyay Mayor of Ayodhya are witnesses in the sale deeds."

"Money of the Trust is being misused to benefit leaders and officials," she said.

She said, "Land value of Rs 2 crore was sold to the Trust for Rs 26.5 crore in 2017."

Giving details about the deal, she said, "2.33 hectare land was purchased for Rs 2 crore and this was waqf land. An FIR was also registered in this connection in 2018, she said.

"On March 18, 2021 at 6.51 p.m. 10.37 sq yard was sold to the Trust for Rs 8 crore through its secretary Champat Rai. The remaining 12,000 sq m was sold at 7.10 p.m. for Rs 2 crore and the same land was sold to the Trust after 5 minutes for Rs 18.5 crore. In all the three sale deeds, Anil Mishra and Rishikesh Upadhyay, who is the Ayodhya Mayor, were witnesses."

When asked that the BJP has been saying that the Congress was putting hurdles in the Ram Mandir construction, Priyanka said, "We will put hurdles in the BJP's loot of the Trust money."