India, July 13 -- The Supreme Court directed the Uttar Pradesh government's Special Investigation Team (SIT) to submit a status report on its probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations received by the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohan also issued a notice to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on petitions seeking a fair, independent and time-bound investigation into the alleged donation theft.

Three separate petitions have been filed before the apex court. One petitioner, Narendra Kumar Goswami, sought a CBI investigation along with a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit of the Trust's finances. Another plea by advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and...