The controversy surrounding the alleged embezzlement of funds of the Ayodhya Ram Temple reached the Supreme Court on Monday with two advocates filing a petition seeking registration of an FIR and a fair and time-bound probe into it by a CBI-led multi-disciplinary special investigation team (SIT).Petitioners Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav submitted that the SIT should investigate the alleged financial irregularities and other purported “illegalities” concerning the affairs and administration of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.On June 13, the Uttar Pradesh Government set up a three-member SIT at the request of the temple trust to look into allegations of financial irregularities and misappropriation of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple.The SIT comprising Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant, Inspector General of Police Kiran S, and Finance Department Special Secretary Neel Ratan has already begun its inquiry without the registration of an FIR or any formal criminal case. The SIT was asked to submit a preliminary report in seven days and the final report in 15 days. The preliminary report is expected to be submitted to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath soon.Now, the petitioners have sought directions to the Centre, the Uttar Pradesh Government and the Trust for constituting and operationalising such regulatory, supervisory and audit mechanisms as may be necessary to safeguard public interest and maintain the confidence of millions of devotees and donors.”Whether or not the reports regarding missing funds and other alleged irregularities concerning the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust are ultimately found to be true, such reports have caused deep concern among the generations that struggled for the restoration of the glory of Ayodhya,” they submitted.The reports of missing funds and other alleged irregularities should be independently verified through a professional investigation conducted by a single agency equipped with the expertise, resources and institutional framework required for complex financial and criminal probes.”Such an inquiry would inspire greater public confidence than a preliminary probe conducted by a special investigation team (SIT) comprising administrative officers who may not possess specialized credentials in criminal investigation,” they said, adding the went beyond the possible commission of cognisable offences and directly impacted the faith, sentiments and trust of countless devotees and members of the public.The petitioners sought the top court’s intervention to maintain public confidence in the administration and management of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.