- By Talibuddin Khan
- Mon, 29 Jun 2026 05:01 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Ram Temple Donation Theft Case: A local court in Ayodhya on Monday sent all eight accused arrested in the Ram Mandir donation theft case to 14-day judicial custody after police did not seek their custody. The accused were produced before Special Judge, Anti-Corruption Court, Rajat Verma, through video conferencing after their earlier judicial custody expired today.
The court's order came hours after the Faizabad (Ayodhya) Bar Association today announced that none of its members will defend the accused in the court, warning that any lawyer violating the decision would face a Rs 5 lakh penalty.
The Bar Association also warned of blockading Ayodhya if Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao -- all associated with the management of the temple (but not mentioned as accused in the FIR) -- did not leave the city "within three days".
The decision was taken at the association's general body meeting after lawyers on Sunday indicated they were unlikely to defend the accused, saying their sentiments had been hurt by the alleged theft of temple offerings.
Faizabad Bar Association president Kalika Prasad Mishra told reporters after the meeting that it was unanimously decided that no advocate belonging to the association would appear on behalf of the accused.
"If any lawyer still wished to represent the accused, he or she would first have to submit an application and deposit Rs 5 lakh per accused with the Bar Association as a contribution. The amount would be used by the association to pursue the prosecution of the case," Bar Association president Kalika Prasad Mishra said as quoted by PTI.
Mishra further said that the association would write to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking a probe into the alleged embezzlement. He added that the Bar Association would approach the Allahabad High Court to seek a CBI investigation and, if no relief was granted there, it would move the Supreme Court.
The eight accused -- Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lav Kush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ram Shankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ramashankar alias Tinnu Yadav -- were associated with counting cash and valuables received as donations at the Ram Temple. They were arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement and were remanded to judicial custody till June 29.
(With PTI Inputs)