Who Are the 8 Accused Ayodhya Lawyers Refused to Represent, and Why?
- Jun 30
- 2 min read
Ayodhya lawyers boycott Ram Temple embezzlement accused, demand action against Trust officials, and intensify calls for a CBI investigation.
By Pranjal Gupta
New Delhi, June 30: The Ayodhya embezzlement case continues to fuel political debate while simultaneously testing the waters of judicial intervention. On Monday, the Faizabad Bar Association in Ayodhya declared that no lawyer in the city would defend the eight arrested accused in court, while also pressing for legal actions against key officials of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
If any lawyer still wants to represent the accused, they can after applying to the Association and deposit a fine of Rs 5 lakh per accused, the Association made clear.
Eight Accused Arrested
While the Bar presses for concrete action against the three key office-bearers, those arrested were responsible for counting cash and valuables received as donations at the Ram Temple.
All eight were arrested last Thursday and were produced before Special Judge, Anti-Corruption Court, Rajat Verma, through video conferencing. They were remanded to judicial custody for an additional two weeks after the police did not seek their custody, Special Prosecution Officer Umesh Dubey said.
CBI Probe Demand
A warning was issued for Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao to leave the city within three days, failing which there will be a blockade then no one will be able to leave. Rai and Mishra are key officials of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, while Gopal Rao is the temple administrator.
After the controversy over the alleged siphoning off of devotees' donations came to light, massive public outrage followed. This led to a probe, after which Champat Rai, General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, stepped down from his post, citing "moral responsibility". Soon after, Anil Mishra, a trustee of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, also tendered his resignation.
Gopal Rao, who was not an office-bearer, also got caught up in the controversy because of his critical role. Though he was not an official member of the Trust, he was the Temple Administrator, responsible for the daily functioning and management of the Ram Mandir.
When the alleged fund misappropriation made headlines, officials and political experts questioned how the alleged fraud could have gone unnoticed despite Rao's daily supervision, leading to speculation about his alleged involvement.
Association President Kalika Prasad Mishra has sought legal action against the three key officials of the Ram Mandir. Mishra said the Bar would approach the High Court and, if needed, the Supreme Court for a CBI probe.
SBI Had a Hint Months Ago
The fund misappropriation did not go completely unnoticed. It became clear when sources in the State Bank of India (SBI) claimed that bank officials had an inkling that something was wrong with the donation money.
They had even suggested changing the cash-counting staff at the shrine three months ago, but members of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust did not allow it. There was
no immediate reaction from the Trust.
