New Delhi [India], July 5 (ANI): CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to reconsider the Ministry of Home Affairs' stand on the applicability of the Right to Information (RTI) Act to the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
In his letter, Brittas drew the Home Minister's attention to the Central Information Commission's decision dated June 6, 2025, which held that the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is not a "public authority" within the meaning of Section 2(h) of the Right to Information Act, 2005.
Brittas said that since the Commission had substantially relied upon the stand taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs while arriving at its decision, the Ministry should undertake a reconsideration of its position.
"I respectfully request that the Ministry kindly undertake a reconsideration of its stand regarding the applicability of the Right to Information Act to the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, keeping in view the statutory scheme of the Act and the larger constitutional imperative of transparency and public accountability," Brittas said in his letter to the Home Minister.
On July 3, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple arrived at the temple premises to carry out further investigation in the case.
The state government on July 1 granted a 15-day extension to SIT to complete its investigation. The extension has been given to enable the SIT to widen the scope of its probe and conduct a comprehensive inquiry into all aspects of the case.
An FIR was registered on June 25 after the SIT submitted the preliminary report on June 23, and eight accused were arrested.
Subsequently, Champat Rai and former trustee Anil Mishra resigned, taking moral responsibility for alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple hours after police arrested all eight people named in the FIR.
Ayodhya Police is likely to interrogate the accused currently in custody on Sunday. (ANI)
