{"title": "Ayodhya Bar Association refuses defence in Ram temple case", "description": "Ayodhya lawyers say they will not represent eight accused in a Ram temple donations case and threaten a fine for any member who does.", "body": "The Ayodhya Bar Association has said its members will not represent eight people accused in a case linked to alleged embezzlement of donations made at the Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh, India. The decision was taken at an emergency meeting on Monday, according to reports in The Hindu, LiveLaw and Scroll.\n\nAssociation president Kalika Prasad Mishra said any lawyer who chooses to act for the accused could face a fine of \u20b95 lakh. The resolution was passed after what the association described as growing concern over the case.\n\nThe accused have been booked in a first information report, known in India as an FIR, which is a formal police complaint that begins a criminal investigation. The case concerns alleged misuse of cash and valuables offered by devotees at the temple. The people named in the FIR were said to have handled cash and valuables collected on the temple premises.\n\nThe offences listed include theft, criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal conspiracy under India\u2019s Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the country\u2019s new criminal code. According to the reports, the eight accused have been arrested and placed in judicial custody.\n\nThe Hindu reported that the FIR was filed over the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple, and that the accused included close aides of Champat Rai, former general secretary of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Scroll reported that the trust manages the temple and had filed the complaint.\n\nThe bar association meeting also saw demands for Champat Rai, trustee Anil Mishra and temple construction in-charge Gopal Rao to leave Ayodhya within three days. The lawyers warned that they could blockade the city if the three did not leave, according to The Hindu.\n\nLiveLaw reported that Mr Mishra said a letter would be sent to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The association also said it would seek a CBI probe if relief was not granted in petitions already listed before the Allahabad High Court. Two public interest petitions seeking an inquiry into the alleged misappropriation are said to be pending before the Lucknow bench of the court.\n\nThe reported developments came hours after the Supreme Court declined an urgent hearing on a plea seeking a Special Investigation Team to examine the allegations. A Special Investigation Team is a police team formed to investigate a specific case.\n\nScroll reported that Mr Mishra said the alleged wrongdoing could not have happened without the knowledge of the senior figures named in the case. The outlet also quoted him as saying: \u201cPeople are questioning the point of making offerings to the deity when a group of five individuals might simply misappropriate them.\u201d\n\nAccording to The Hindu and Scroll, the FIR names eight accused. LiveLaw reported that a total of \u20b979.85 lakh had been recovered so far, citing media reports. The reports also say the accused were due to appear before a special court dealing with corruption cases.\n\nThe Ram temple in Ayodhya has been the focus of intense political and religious attention in India. The latest case relates not to the temple\u2019s construction, but to allegations about donations collected for its daily functioning and associated activities.", "images": [{"image_url": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1500375592092-40eb2168fd21", "source": "Unsplash", "photographer": "Rafal Cichawa", "caption": "The Ram temple case has drawn attention to the handling of donations in Ayodhya", "attribution": "Image by Rafal Cichawa on Unsplash"}, {"image_url": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1450101499163-c8848c66ca85", "source": "Unsplash", "photographer": "William Bout", "caption": "A court-related story involving allegations, custody and legal proceedings in Uttar Pradesh", "attribution": "Image by William Bout on Unsplash"}], "social_posts": {"twitter": "Ayodhya Bar Association says members will not represent eight accused in the Ram temple donations case, and warned of a \u20b95 lakh fine for any lawyer who does. The case involves allegations of embezzlement and is under investigation.", "facebook": "The Ayodhya Bar Association has said its members will not represent eight accused in the Ram temple donations case, amid allegations of embezzlement of temple offerings. \u2696\ufe0f The matter is also being pursued in the courts and has drawn calls for a wider investigation.", "linkedin": "The Ayodhya Bar Association has resolved that its members will not represent eight accused in the Ram temple donations case. The dispute centres on allegations of embezzlement of donations and is now linked to further court proceedings and calls for an expanded investigation."}}