18:34
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust member Swami Parmanand Giri on Tuesday said the trust's meeting on Wednesday will take up filling vacant posts of trustees, while other issues will be discussed as they come up during deliberations.
Speaking to reporters in Ayodhya ahead of the meeting, Giri said the vacant positions in the trust would have to be filled.
"Whatever other issues come up will be known only during the meeting," he told reporters.
Asked about the Supreme Court's observations on Monday regarding entrusting the probe into the alleged Ram temple donation embezzlement case to a Special Investigation Team (SIT), Giri said the trust would first wait for the existing SIT's report.
"Let the SIT's report come. It should first be examined and then the future course of action can be decided," he said.
Asked about the apex court's suggestion that a fresh SIT be constituted to conduct the investigation, Giri questioned the need for another panel.
"If the present SIT is not considered appropriate, forming another one will not make much difference either," he said.
On whether any names were being considered for the vacant trustee posts, Giri said no discussion had taken place so far.
"There is nothing as of now, but the vacancies have to be filled and whatever is to be decided will be discussed in tomorrow's meeting," he said.
Giri also said former general secretary Champat Rai and trustee Anil Mishra had resigned from their posts and the trust had taken note of their resignations during its July 6 meeting.
Asked about reports that another trustee, Dinendra Das, had also resigned, Giri said he had no information about it.
The trust is scheduled to hold a special meeting at the Ram temple complex on Wednesday, followed by its regular meeting at Maniram Chhawani.
According to trust sources, the agenda includes appointment of a new general secretary, filling three vacant trustee posts and finalising the selection process for the temple's first chief executive officer (CEO). The meeting may also deliberate on the SIT report submitted before the Supreme Court in the alleged donation embezzlement case.
The vacancies arose following the resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra after the donation theft controversy, and the death of trustee Bimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra.
The alleged embezzlement came to light in June, following which the Uttar Pradesh government constituted an SIT and an FIR was lodged. Eight accused have been arrested so far.
On Monday, the Supreme Court asked the state government to apprise it about the possibility of entrusting the probe to the SIT instead of the local police to ensure a fair and transparent investigation. -- PTI
