The Faizabad Bar Association is poised to decide on a collective refusal to defend individuals accused in the Ayodhya Ram temple donation theft case, reflecting strong local sentiment and calls for stern action.
Key Points
- Ayodhya lawyers are contemplating a collective refusal to defend those accused of embezzling Ram temple donations.
- The Faizabad Bar Association will hold a general body meeting to finalise the decision regarding legal representation.
- Local legal practitioners express strong anger over the alleged theft, citing hurt sentiments and demanding stern action.
- Police recently conducted raids at the residences of all eight accused, who are currently in judicial custody.
- The accused are expected to be produced in court soon, with police likely seeking custodial remand.
The accused in the Ayodhya Ram temple donations case are unlikely to find lawyers in Ayodhya for their defence, according to local legal practitioners.
The final decision about the unanimous refusal to take up their case will be taken in the general body meeting of the Faizabad Bar Association, expected to take place on Monday, Kalika Mishra, president of the association, said on Sunday.
A similar decision was taken by the lawyers from Ayodhya back in 2005 when those accused of a terrorist attack at the Ram temple were produced before a Faizabad court.
Lawyers' Stance on Temple Theft
Advocates of the Faizabad Bar Association are angry over the alleged theft of offerings at the temple and have united in the demand for stern action against all eight accused, lawyers from the city said.
Bar Association secretary Shailendra Jaiswal said, "Our sentiments have been hurt by the theft of temple offerings. The lawyers of Faizabad have agreed not to plead on behalf of the arrested accused. In this matter, a decision will be taken by the Bar Association president and the general body of the Bar. After this, the further strategy will be prepared."
Advocate Vivek Kumar Singh remarked that police should not have presented such social criminals before the magistrate under heavy security arrangements.
"Like in West Bengal, they should have first been among the public," he said.
"Due to the act of a few people, residents of Ayodhya have got a bad name across the whole world. Stern action should be taken against these accused by adopting the bulldozer policy," senior advocate Rajendra Chaudhary said.
Police Raids and Judicial Proceedings
Police on Sunday conducted simultaneous raids at the residences of all eight people arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple, police sources said.
Police teams, accompanied by local magistrates, carried out searches at the homes of the accused, including Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla and Ramashankar Yadav, the sources said.
The raids came two days after all eight accused were remanded in judicial custody till June 29 by a court in Ayodhya.
Police are expected to seek their custodial remand when they are produced before the court on Monday.
