Tuesday, August 30 2005 18:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Faizabad: Adamant on their resolve not to allow any lawyer to take up the case of the five accused in July 5 terror strike on Ram Janambhoomi complex, city advocates prevented a Delhi-based lawyer from appearing on their behalf in Faizabad today(Aug 30, 2005).

Sanjay Kumar Singh, a lawyer at Delhi's Tis Hazari courts, who arrived here to appear for the five-jailed accused, faced stiff opposition from local lawyers who contended that no lawyer would be allowed to plead their case.

Chairman of the Avadh Bar Association, Sabhajeet Pandey said lawyers here have decided that neither any local counsel nor anyone from elsewhere would be allowed to fight the case of the arrested terrorists.

Singh had to go back following a heated exchange with local advocates and was not even allowed to file his Power of Attorney.

Singh said that he had no idea of the decision taken by the local lawyers and that he on the instructions of his senior, M.M. Khan, also practising at the Tis Hazari courts and hails from Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir.

The five terrorists, Asif Iqbal, Shakil Ahmed, MohdWasim, Mohd. Aziz and Dr Irfan were presented in the court on completion of their judicial remand which was extended till September 12.