An Allahabad High Court judge has strongly criticised the alleged misappropriation of donations made to the Ram temple in Ayodhya, describing the controversy as a disturbing reflection of declining integrity and widespread acceptance of corruption in India.
Justice Atul Sreedharan made the remarks while hearing a case concerning recent demolition actions carried out by the Uttar Pradesh government. During the proceedings, he said corruption had become deeply embedded in public institutions and argued that people often treat it as normal unless an offender is caught.
Referring to the allegations involving temple donations, the judge said the incident represented an exceptionally low point in public morality. He also supported introducing the death penalty for serious offences covered by the Prevention of Corruption Act, reflecting his concern over the scale and persistence of institutional corruption.
The Supreme Court has meanwhile ordered the formation of a new Special Investigation Team to examine the alleged theft. The court said the team should be headed by a senior Indian Police Service officer and instructed investigators to conduct the inquiry fairly, independently and without political influence.
The controversy began after former Uttar Pradesh minister Pawan Pandey alleged that donations worth between ₹5 crore and ₹7.5 crore had been stolen. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav demanded a judicial investigation, while the Ram temple trust’s general secretary, Champat Rai, rejected the accusations.
BJP leader Rajneesh Singh later called for a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry, and the Prime Minister’s Office reportedly sought a response from the temple trust. An FIR was filed on June 25 following a complaint from trustee Krishna Mohan, and police have arrested eight people in connection with the case.
