Ayodhya. The court on Wednesday could not frame charges against eight accused currently in judicial custody in the case involving alleged theft of offerings at the Ram Mandir. The proceedings were deferred because copies of the 36,039-page charge sheet filed by the police were not made available to lawyers representing all the accused. The court has now fixed October 14 for the next hearing on framing of charges.
Special Judge, Prevention of Corruption Act Court, Rajat Verma, had on September 23 directed that a copy of the charge sheet filed by the investigating officer be provided to each of the accused. During Wednesday’s proceedings, lawyers representing two accused, Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu and Subhash Srivastava, received documents related to the charge sheet. However, copies could not be made available to the lawyers representing the other accused. The court therefore deferred the process of framing charges and fixed the matter for the next date.
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The framing of charges will determine the course of the regular trial in the case. The charge sheet filed by the police reportedly contains detailed records of the investigation, along with documents and evidence collected during the probe. Providing the defence lawyers with copies of the charge sheet and related documents is necessary for them to effectively respond to the allegations and present their case before the court.
Although the court had already directed that copies of the charge sheet be supplied to all the accused, the documents could not be provided to all defence lawyers by Wednesday’s proceedings. As a result, the court decided not to proceed with the framing of charges and instead fixed a fresh date.
Hearing on Subhash Srivastava’s Bail Also Deferred
The bail application of accused Subhash Srivastava, a former counting officer who is in custody in the offering theft case, was also scheduled to be heard on Wednesday. However, the prosecution submitted a request seeking an adjournment, following which the bail hearing was deferred. The Special Judge, Prevention of Corruption Act Court, has now fixed October 8 for hearing Srivastava’s bail application.
The hearing on Srivastava’s bail plea has already been postponed three times. During the next hearing, the prosecution and defence are expected to present their respective arguments, after which the court will take further action on the bail application.
Madan Mohan Pandey Given Responsibility for Trust’s Financial Operations
Meanwhile, the process of assigning important responsibilities to newly appointed members of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has also gained momentum. As part of the exercise, new member Madan Mohan Pandey has been assigned responsibilities related to the trust’s banking and accounting operations. He will play a role in monitoring and coordinating financial transactions, banking procedures and accounting-related arrangements.
According to sources associated with the trust, responsibilities related to financial operations are being reorganised following Pandey’s appointment. Earlier, former trust member Dr Anil Mishra had played a key role in several important functions connected with these arrangements. The responsibilities are now being redistributed among the new members to clearly define their respective roles.
Following the emergence of the offering theft case, the trust has placed greater emphasis on strengthening its internal systems and monitoring mechanisms. Responsibility for sensitive functions such as banking, accounting and financial transactions is being clearly defined, along with enhanced oversight arrangements. The trust is also restructuring responsibilities to improve transparency and control over its financial activities.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
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