LAWYERS of the Faizabad Bar Association on Thursday took out a protest march here and submitted a police complaint seeking an FIR against Ram Mandir Trust general secretary Champat Rai, trust member Anil Mishra and temple official Gopal Rao over alleged embezzlement of donation funds. Krishna Mohan, another trustee, who was the complainant in the first FIR in the case, has also been mentioned as an accused in the lawyers’ complaint to the police, according to Faizabad Bar Association president Kalika Prasad Mishra. The lawyers marched from the court premises to the Ram Janambhoomi police station here before submitting the complaint, demanding that a case be registered and a fair and impartial probe be conducted into the allegations. A large number of lawyers raised slogans demanding registration of an FIR and an investigation against the senior functionaries of the Trust. Meanwhile, Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case revisited Ayodhya and questioned Champat Rai, another Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust member Anil Mishra and temple official Gopal Rao for the second time, sources said. Police personnel had a tough time managing the crowd during the march, with some lawyers alleging that they sustained minor injuries in the jostling. At the police station, several lawyers gathered in the Station House Officer’s office along with media personnel, insisting that a case be registered immediately, even as police officials tried to pacify them by assuring that the complaint would be examined and appropriate action taken in accordance with the law. Mishra told reporters that the association had sought registration of an FIR against the three named persons over the alleged embezzlement of Ram Temple donations and demanded an impartial investigation into the matter. Rao is engaged with temple construction work and is associated with Trust works.

 

Donation row accused Avinash Shukla taken on 24-hour police remand: POLICE on Thursday took jailed Ram temple donation embezzlement case accused Avinash Shukla into custody on a 24-hour remand for further questioning, sources said. Shukla, who was associated with counting offerings at the Ram temple, was produced before a court, which granted the police his custody for 24 hours, the sources said. The remand is expected to help investigators probe the alleged diversion of donations, trace the money trail and identify other persons who may have been involved in the case, they said. According to police sources on Thursday, cash recoveries made during the investigation include Rs 20.39 lakh from Avinash Shukla, Rs 18.07 lakh from Karunesh Pandey, Rs 16.82 lakh from Anukalp Mishra, Rs 14.25 lakh from Lavkush Mishra, Rs 7.32 lakh from Ramashankar Mishra and Rs 1 lakh from Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu. The police have also recovered around 11 grams of gold, about 375 grams of silver and USD 1,121 during the investigation. In a significant recovery, investigators seized a donation box labelled “Ramrajya Kosh” bearing a Paytm QR code from a yoga centre in Ayodhya where Avinash Shukla had been staying for nearly a decade, the police sources said. The alleged embezzlement of Ram temple donations came to light on June 7. Later, an FIR was registered on June 25 following a preliminary report by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was constituted by the UP Government. Eight persons associated with the temple’s donation and counting process have been arrested in the case, and the investigation is continuing. “A written complaint has been submitted. Five people have gone to collect the hard copy of the complaint.

 

If they do not provide the copy, the protest will continue. The police have said that action will be taken and have given full assurance regarding the matter. The FIR includes Champat Rai ji, Anil Mishra ji, Gopal Rao, and Krishna Dev (who was the complainant in the first FIR). For now, we will see what action is taken at Kotwali Shri Ram Janmabhoomi police station,” Mishra told PTI Videos. He said the association would launch an agitation if the police failed to register a case against the accused. Superintendent of Police (City) Chakrapani Tripathi said the police have received the complaint and that it was being examined. Later, police said the complaint had been entered in the General Diary (GD) at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station, and an acknowledgement receipt had been issued to the complainants. A senior police officer said the complaint is being examined in accordance with the law, and appropriate action will follow. He added that if an FIR is found to be warranted but is not registered, action would also be taken against the officials concerned at the police station. A GD refers to the police station’s official register for recording complaints, incidents and daily proceedings. The controversy erupted on June 7 after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government submitted its preliminary findings on June 23, following which an FIR was registered on June 25 and eight persons associated with the temple’s donation-counting process were arrested. Investigators have also recorded the statement of Rai, who had recently offered to resign, taking “moral responsibility” Security has, meanwhile, been stepped up at key locations in Ayodhya amid the ongoing controversy.

 

According to official sources, the security cover of some senior Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust functionaries, including Rai, has also been enhanced. A security official said deployment had been strengthened at the Teerth Kshetra office, Karsevakpuram and other key installations linked to the Trust. Four sub-inspectors have been posted at the Teerth Kshetra office, and a company of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) has also been deployed in the area. It is unlikely that there will be any relaxation in the security arrangements, especially in view of the upcoming meeting of the trust in Ayodhya, where several key issues, including the resignations of Rai and Mishra, are expected to come up for discussion, the sources said. Security officials said there were no restrictions on media coverage. However, journalists have, for the time being, been permitted access only up to the steel barricades near the temple, beyond which devotees proceed for darshan and aarti.