The Hindu : National : `Action against Sankaracharya as per guidelines'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 18, 2004

National

National

`Action against Sankaracharya as per guidelines'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, NOV.17. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, said today that the Sankaracharya of Kanchi Mutt, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, was treated with due respect and regard. He was not harassed at any stage. All actions right from his arrest to lodging him in the Vellore central prison were taken as per legal guidelines.

Ms.Jayalalithaa, who made a suo motu statement in the Legislative Assembly, categorically stated that her Government had no idea at all of paralysing the activities of the Sankara Mutt. "The Government has high respect and regard for the Kanchi Mutt, which has a 2500-year-old history and tradition." It wished that the Mutt should not earn any bad name.

"Sri Jayendra Saraswathi was arrested with the cooperation of the Andhra Pradesh police at Mahbubnagar, where he was staying at 10 p.m. on November 11 without giving room for any law and order problem. He was produced before the Kancheepuram Judicial Magistrate-I at 6.30 a.m. on November 12 and on the same day, he was lodged in the Vellore central prison at 9 a.m. under judicial custody," she said.

Referring to the police investigation into another case, in which Radhakrishnan, a former devotee of the Sankara Mutt, two years ago, was assaulted she said: "Investigation also brought to light Sri Jayendra Saraswathi's involvement in the case of Crime No.859/2002 registered by E-5 Foreshore Estate police station under Section 452, 324 and 307 relating to brutal attack on one Radhakrishnan, his wife and their servant on September 20, 2002."

The "violent attack" was launched when they were at Radhakrishnan's residence. His wife and servant also suffered grievous injuries in the attack. "Investigation in the case revealed that Sri Jayendra Sarawathi had a doubt that Radhakrishnan was responsible for despatching anonymous letters in the pseudonym, Somasundara Ganapadigal, levelling serious allegations against him. It also brought to light that Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, along with his henchmen and associates, hatched a conspiracy. In view of its similarity to the Sankararaman murder case, investigation of this case was also handed over to the same team," Ms. Jayalalithaa said.

Denying charges that the former Superintendent of Police, Kancheepuram, K. Premkumar, was shifted to "shield the real culprits" in the Sankararaman murder case, Ms. Jayalalithaa said that Mr. Premkumar's "transfer order was issued on September 2 itself, i.e., a day before the murder of Sankararaman. Mr.Premkumar assumed office as SP, Cuddalore, on September 9." However, with a view to ensuring "continuity, the investigation is conducted only under his leadership. In view of the special nature of the case, a special team comprising the SPs of Kancheepuram, Cuddalore and Tiruvallur has been formed. The investigation is still on under the team's supervision."

"These steps have not led to any law and order problem in Tamil Nadu. The Government has asserted the rule of the law without fear or favour. The general public feels that the Tamil Nadu Government has implemented the principle of all are equal before law with utmost firmness," she said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National