Ayodhya case: Remand of accused extended

The accused pleaded that the court direct jail authorities to allow their relatives to meet them in prison.

A local court on Wednesday extended the judicial remand of five accused in the Ayodhya attack case for 14 days and fixed May 14 as the date for the next hearing.

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District and Sessions Judge RP Shukla also directed the Superintendent of Naini central jail to allow relatives of the accused to meet them in his presence.

The accused pleaded that the court direct jail authorities to allow their relatives to meet them in prison and also take up the issue of engaging a lawyer for their defence.

The court directed that Advocate RK Tiwari provide legal aid in the capacity of Amicus Curie, as earlier lawyer Rakesh Misra, had declined to assist the accused due to an "adverse resolution" by Faizabad Bar Association.

All five accused -- Asif Iqbal, Dr Irfan Khan, Mohammed Aziz, Mohammed Naseem and Mohammed Shakeel -- were brought in Faizabad under tight security arrangement from Naini central jail, Allahabad.