India / No evidence of irregularities found in Ram Temple land deal: Trust

Ayodhya: The trust overseeing the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya said on Thursday that an internal investigation by lawyers and chartered accountants found no irregularities in the land purchase deals, dismissing charges by opposition parties.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri said lawyers and chartered accountants -- hired by the 15-member body -- studied all documents and found no irregularities in the land deals. The Trust also offered to produce all documents pertaining to the deals before any “competent person or authority” who approaches them for scrutiny.

“A team of lawyers and chartered accountants went through all documents related with all land purchase deals made by the Trust. After scrutinising all documents for more than three days, they have come to the conclusion that there is no irregularity in the land purchase deals made by the Trust,” Giri said.

The controversy over the land deals broke out on June 13 after former Samajwadi Party MLA from Ayodhya, Tej Pratap Pandey, and Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Singh, accused the trust of purchasing land worth ₹2 crore for ₹18.5 crore.

The politicians alleged that on March 18 this year, Kusum Pathak sold a 12,080sqm plot for ₹2 crore to Sultan Ansari and Ravi Tewari, who then sold the land to the Trust for ₹18.5 crore, 10 minutes later.

The Trust rejected the charges and said the land was bought at lower-than-market rates. Giri called the charges politically motivated. “People who have levelled allegations of irregularity are political persons. They do not want the Ram temple to come up in Ayodhya.”

“A misinformation campaign has been launched to create confusion among devotees of Lord Ram. We want to assure all Ram bhakts there is no irregularity in any of the land deals,” he added.