E-Paper
Police yet to file FIR against Champat Rai, others, we will approach court: Faizabad Bar Association lawyers
The lawyers had submitted a complaint at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station in Ayodhya on July 2 seeking the FIR against Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao
Faizabad Bar Association lawyers on Monday claimed the Ayodhya police were yet to register a first information report (FIR) against former Ram temple general secretary Champat Rai, ex-member Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao over alleged embezzlement of donation funds, adding they would now approach a court for the same.
The lawyers had submitted a complaint at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station in Ayodhya on July 2 seeking the FIR against Rai, Mishra and Rao.
“We had given the police two weeks to lodge an FIR against Rai, Mishra and Rao. Today (on Monday), a delegation of the Faizabad Bar Association visited the police station regarding the FIR. The officers there informed us that the FIR has not been lodged and they informed us that they have forwarded the complaint to their higher officials,” Aftab Khan, a member of Faizabad Bar Association, said.
Khan is also a member of a 21-member-committee of lawyers formed to plead the case against Rai, Mishra and Rao.
“Our delegation also met SSP Ayodhya regarding our demand. But he said that the FIR has not been registered,” he said.
“Now, we will approach the court and get the FIR lodged against Rai , Mishra and Rao,” he added
The Faizabad Bar Association, during a general body meeting on June 29, had decided not to plead the case of Ram temple accused.
It had also decided that if any of its members tried to plead the case of the accused, they would be fined ₹5 lakh and terminated from the association.
On July 2, the Faizabad Bar Association lawyers took out a protest march from the district court premises to the Ram Janmabhoomi police station and submitted a complaint seeking an FIR against Champat Rai, Anil Mishra and Gopal Rao over alleged embezzlement of donation funds.
The resignations of Champat Rai and Anil Mishra were accepted by the trust at its executive meeting on July 6.
UP GOVT APPOINTS LEGAL AID COUNSEL FOR ACCUSED
The Uttar Pradesh government has appointed a legal aid defence counsel for the accused in the alleged Ram temple donation embezzlement case.The move came after the Faizabad Bar Association boycotted the people arrested and refused to represent them and also said that violators will be fined ₹5 lakh and terminated from bar membership.
Kulshekhar Singh, an ex-joint director of the department of prosecution, will begin appearing for the accused in court from next week.
Singh said he is not a member of the Faizabad Bar and was therefore free to represent the accused.
“The government appointed me as legal aid defence counsel last week. Since I am not a member of the Faizabad Bar Association, there is no restriction on my appearing for the accused. I am likely to start pleading the case from next week,” he said.
