AAP MP Sanjay Singh Submits Evidence to SIT Probing Alleged Ram Temple Land and Donation Scam
LUCKNOW — The political and legal controversy surrounding the finances of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya intensified on Thursday as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh officially submitted documents to the Special Investigation Team (SIT). The probe panel is currently investigating allegations of massive irregularities in donations and land transactions linked to the temple trust.
The Uttar Pradesh government constituted the three-member SIT on June 13 following mounting allegations of malfeasance and embezzlement of offerings received by the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
The investigation was launched after several opposition leaders raised red flags regarding the financial management of the temple's funds. Earlier this week, the SIT, headed by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, submitted its preliminary inquiry report to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad. However, the details of that initial report remain highly confidential as the broader probe continues.
Sanjay Singh arrived at the office of the Lucknow Divisional Commissioner at around 11:00 am on Thursday. During a brief 12-minute meeting, the AAP leader formally handed over his dossier to the investigation team.
According to Singh, he submitted 11 crucial documents related to alleged land scams orchestrated in the name of the temple. The AAP MP has repeatedly claimed that individuals linked to the trust officials purchased land parcels at highly inflated prices. Among his specific allegations, Singh previously cited an instance where a plot of land in Ayodhya, originally valued at approximately ₹9 crore, was allegedly bought by the trust for a staggering ₹55.47 crore just days later.
Speaking to reporters outside the commissioner's office, Singh stated that his appearance before the SIT was highly cooperative, noting that the SIT chairman had personally invited him to present his evidence. However, he expressed deep frustration over the pace of the legal proceedings.
"Everything is coming to light one by one. The money has been recovered, and all the evidence of theft in the offerings has been found. Yet, why has no one gone to jail yet? Why has no one been arrested? Why has no FIR been registered yet? This is extremely surprising," Singh remarked. Taking to the social media platform X, he added, "I have handed over all the documents to the SIT. What action will be taken next, only Lord Ram knows."
The allegations strike at a highly sensitive national nerve, given the billions of rupees donated by devotees across the country for the temple's construction. For the ruling BJP government, ensuring a transparent and conclusive investigation is critical to maintaining public trust and countering the opposition's narrative of high-level corruption.
The political stakes are further elevated by the movements of the broader AAP leadership. Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal is scheduled to land in Lucknow later today. He will proceed to Ayodhya by road, staying overnight before visiting the Ram Temple and Hanumangarhi Temple on Friday, signaling the party's intent to keep this controversy at the forefront of the national discourse.
With Sanjay Singh's documentary evidence now officially entered into the SIT's records, the onus shifts entirely to the Uttar Pradesh administration. Whether these documents provide the necessary legal grounding to register formal First Information Reports (FIRs) against trust officials remains to be seen in the coming days.
The submission of concrete documentary evidence by a sitting Member of Parliament elevates the Ram Temple financial controversy from a political talking point to a serious legal inquiry. The allegations of purchasing ₹9 crore land for over ₹55 crore demand absolute transparency, as they directly involve the faith and hard-earned money of millions of devotees. The UP government's SIT now faces the immense pressure of conducting a swift, unbiased investigation. Any perception of a cover-up could result in massive political blowback, especially with opposition leaders actively visiting Ayodhya to amplify the issue.