LUCKNOW: The Faizabad Bar Association on Monday resolved not to allow any of its members to represent the eight accused arrested in the alleged Ram temple donation embezzlement case, warning of a Rs 5 lakh penalty for violators.
The resolution was passed at the Bar Association's general body meeting on the day the accused were to be produced before a local court. Lawyers had indicated on Sunday that they were unlikely to defend the accused, saying their sentiments had been deeply hurt by the alleged theft of temple offerings.
Bar Association secretary Shailendra Jaiswal said, "The sentiments of all of us have been hurt by the theft of temple offerings. The lawyers of Faizabad have agreed not to plead on behalf of the arrested accused."
He said the decision was taken by the Bar president and the general body, adding that further strategy would be decided in due course.
The Bar Association also resolved to seek the registration of a case against Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai, trust member Anil Mishra and temple construction in-charge Gopal Rao.
At the meeting, lawyers demanded that the three leave Ayodhya within three days. They warned that if the demand was not met, the city would be brought to a standstill, with a siege laid around Ayodhya and no one allowed to enter the temple town.
The resolution echoes the Faizabad Bar Association's stand in 2005, when its members refused to defend those accused in the terrorist attack on the makeshift Ram temple at the Janmabhoomi site.
