The arrested accused included close aides of Champat Rai, outgoing general secretary of Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. File.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The president of the Ayodhya Bar Association, Kalika Prasad Mishra, said that no lawyer will represent the accused in the Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case. In an emergency meeting held by the Ayodhya Bar Association on Monday (June 29, 2026), Mr. Mishra said if a lawyer does represent an accused, he/she would be fined ₹5 lakh.
“No lawyer will represent the accused in the case and if anyone does, a fine of ₹5 lakh will be imposed on them,” he said. Many advocates during the meeting said the outgoing general secretary of the Ram Temple Trust Champat Rai, trustee Anil Mishra and Gopal Rai must leave Ayodhya and if they do not do so within three days, then the entire city will be blocked, not allowing anyone to enter.
Eight persons have been named as accused in a First Information Report (FIR) over the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple. They have been arrested and sent to judicial custody until June 29.
The accused have been booked under charges including theft, criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal conspiracy under multiple sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The arrested accused included close aides of Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Mr. Rai.
As per the FIR, the accused were involved in the process of counting cash and valuables donated by devotees at the temple. Officials have alleged that the accused had misappropriated donations collected through boxes installed on the temple premises.
Published – June 29, 2026 02:58 pm IST
