Ram Temple Donation Case: Ayodhya Bar Threatens Rs 5 Lakh Fine for Lawyers Defending Accused

Lucknow:  The Faizabad Bar Association in Uttar Pradesh has decided not to represent the case of those accused of alleged embezzlement of funds linked to the Ram temple in Ayodhya. In a general body meeting held on Monday, the Bar warned that any member who represents the accused will be fined Rs 5 lakh.

What happen in the meeting?

During the meeting, the lawyers also demanded that Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, and Gopal Rao, who are involved in the dispute, be produced before the High Court within three days. He warned that if they did not do so, the city would be besieged. Champat Rai was the general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust and had recently resigned from his post along with another trustee, Mishra.

This move is reminiscent of the 2005 decision when it refused to defend those accused in the Ram Mandir terrorist attack case. 

"The theft of temple offerings has deeply hurt our sentiments. All lawyers in Faizabad have agreed not to defend the arrested accused," said Bar Association secretary Shailendra Jaiswal.

What did Kalika Prasad Mishra say?

Following the decision, a video of Bar Association President Kalika Prasad Mishra went viral. In the clip, he can be heard saying, "No lawyer will represent the accused in the case and if anyone does, a fine of Rs 5 lakh will be imposed on them." The lawyers around him applauded the announcement.

The Bar Association's President and General Body have finalized this decision, and further action will be taken in the coming days. They will approach the court under Section 156(3) to file a case against Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, and Gopal Rao, and will also demand a CBI investigation into the matter.

This development comes amid an ongoing SIT-monitored investigation into allegations of theft or misappropriation of temple funds in Ayodhya. Eight people have been arrested so far in this case, and the police also recorded Champat Rai's statement after he resigned from the temple trust.

What are the claims of donation theft?

Claims of misappropriation of donation funds surfaced earlier this month when a Samajwadi Party MLA said that donations worth Rs 7-7.5 crore had been stolen or embezzled. Other opposition leaders soon joined in, making even more outlandish claims.