Ayodhya: It’s official: the accused in the alleged Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case won’t get a lawyer to defend their cause.
The Faizabad Bar Association on Monday unanimously resolved that none of its members will represent the eight people arrested in the donation scam.
Any member who chooses to appear for the accused will have to deposit Rs 5 lakh per accused with the association, the Bar resolved at its general body meeting.
Just as significant, the lawyers’ body gave Ram Mandir functionaries Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao three days to leave Ayodhya, warning of a city-wide blockade if they failed to comply, PTI reported.
“If any lawyer still wishes to represent the accused, he or she will first have to submit an application and deposit Rs 5 lakh per accused with the Bar Association. The amount will be used to pursue the prosecution of the case,” Bar Association president Kalika Prasad Mishra told PTI.
Interestingly, none of Rai, Mishra and Rao – who are associated with the management of Ram Mandir — has been named as an accused in the FIR.
Despite this, the Bar demanded they leave the temple town within three days, or else lawyers will block Ayodhya and prevent people from entering the city.
The Faizabad Bar Association also sought registration of an FIR against the trio under Section 156(3) of the BNSS. The Bar will approach police first, but if no action is taken, move court.
Further, the lawyers will call for a CBI probe into the alleged donation theft by moving the Allahabad High Court and, if necessary, the Supreme Court.
The eight arrested accused – Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lav Kush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ram Shankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ramashankar alias Tinnu Yadav – were involved in counting cash and valuables donated at the Ram Mandir.
