India, June 29 -- The local bar association on Monday warned its members against representing the accused in the Ram Temple donation embezzlement case, saying anyone who does so will face a fine of Rs.5 lakh, and asking those linked to the controversy to leave Ayodhya within three days. It threatened to blockade the city if Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, and Gopal Rao, who have been linked to the controversy, did not leave.

"The theft of temple offerings has deeply hurt our sentiments. All lawyers...have agreed not to defend the arrested accused," said the association secretary, Shailendra Jaiswal, after a meeting of their general body.

In 2005, the association refused to represent those accused in a terrorist attack on the makeshift temple ...