Ayodhya, July 3 (IANS) The grandfather of one of the eight accused in the Ram Temple embezzlement case, Lavkush Mishra, on Friday said that the family has received a week’s notice for demolition of their house.

Speaking to IANS, Jagdamba Prasad Mishra said: “They are asking whether the plan (of the house) is approved or not. The approved map is with the contractor. That contractor is not here at the moment. We have spoken to the officials; when he comes, he will present the map…they have given one-week notice. If it is not produced, they will demolish the house.”

Asserting that such an order is wrong, he said: “How can they demolish our house just by serving a notice?”

“The plan of our house has been made as well as passed. Though the papers of the land might not have been made, the plan of the house is there,” he stressed.

He added: “We are being told that bulldozers have already reached the place…let them demolish the house if they have the power to do so, they can do anything.”

Responding to questions over the alleged theft of funds at the Ram Temple, Mishra said: “They can demolish (the house) only after the SIT, constituted by the Chief Minister, submits its report and the allegations are proven (in the court).”

“We will oppose such a demolition,” he stated.

“If the plan has not been made, then we should be provided time to make it and present it. If it is illegal even after that, then they can carry out demolition; otherwise, not,” he said.

He further said that he will go to meet the District Magistrate and do whatever is required to prevent the bulldozer action.

Mishra, however, said: “We don’t need to approach the court yet.”

Meanwhile, Sadhana Mishra, the sister-in-law of another accused, Ramshankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav, said that the money that police have recovered from their house was earned through a personal camera operations setup rather than the temple.

Further, she said that she never had any interaction with Yadav and that he had not been staying at their house for the past three years.

“What will the police recover when we have nothing?” she told IANS.

While acknowledging that misappropriation of funds and donations has taken place, Sadhana Mishra said: “The allegations that are being made (against Yadav) are wrong. I too feel bigger names are involved in it.”

–IANS

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