Junior Shankaracharya arrested in murder case

Junior Shankaracharya arrested in murder case

Monday, January 10, 2005 (New Delhi):

The junior Shankaracharya of the Kancheepuram mutt Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi has been arrested by the Tamil Nadu police and charged with murder and criminal conspiracy in the Sankaraman murder case.

The junior Shankaracharya has been sent to 14 days judicial custody to the Chennai central prison.

The arrest came within hours of the Supreme Court's decision to allow bail to the Shankaracharya of Kanchi Jayendra Saraswathi.

Seer gets bail

The latest arrest came despite the fact that the Tamil Nadu government's case against the Shankaracharya seemed to be on thin ground.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by the Chief Justice while granting bail to the Shankaracharya expressed serious doubts over the prosecution's case.

According to the judges,
There was no prima facie evidence to show the Shankaracharya is involved in the conspiracy;

The Tamil Nadu police had failed to prove that Rs 50 lakh was withdrawan from ICICI bank for payment to the hired killers;

And there was no evidence to suggest that the Sankaracharya had any resentment against the deceased, Sankaraman.
Some restrictions

However, the apex court has put some restrictions on the seer. He will not be allowed to visit the Kanchipuram mutt till charge sheets are filled.

The court has directed the seer to deposit his passport and appear before the police as and when required.

The Shankaracharya is currently lodged in the Vellore jail. He may be released later today or tomorrow morning, after the Supreme Court informs the Kanchipuram magistrate about the grant of bail.

The seer, who was taken into custody on November 11, has already got bail in the Radhakrishna assault case from the Madras High Court.

Legal tangle

Although the Shankaracharya has accepted that he will not visit the mutt while the case is on, in Kanchipuram, the order granting bail has raised hopes among his followers.

Now the Tamil Nadu police have the tough task of explaining the alleged disbursement of money to the hired killers while filing the chargesheet.

The next stage of the legal battle will be in the Kanchipuram trial court where the police have to file a chargesheet.

But after today's apex court order, the seer's lawyers will be hoping to get some relief.