The Hindu : Front Page : Kanchi Seer to decide on appeal today

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 22, 2004

Front Page

Front Page

Kanchi Seer to decide on appeal today

By V. Jayanth

CHENNAI, NOV. 21. With the interrogation of the Kanchi Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, now in police custody in Kancheepuram, continuing for the third day today, functionaries at the Kanchi Sankara Mutt have expressed concern at what they describe as "intimidatory tactics" adopted by the police.

A mutt spokesman, R. Sankaran, said: "They are unable to get anything from the Acharya and they are trying to intimidate us through rumours. We are prepared to fully cooperate with the investigation."

`Trial by media'

The spokesman regretted that there was a "parallel trial by the media," which was printing and telecasting anything they heard. "We want to make it clear that there was no raid on the mutt and nobody was called for questioning today." He alleged that the policemen on duty at the mutt were "indirectly intimidating" visitors and devotees coming to the mutt to see the junior Acharya, Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi. "They are screened and checked not only when they enter the mutt, but also when they leave. It makes it unpleasant for devotees and may be a ploy to keep away visitors who want to come here and pray," he said.

Counsel in Delhi

Meanwhile, a team of lawyers has rushed to New Delhi today to discuss and finalise a special leave petition to be filed before the Supreme Court. They consulted top senior counsel, including F.S. Nariman, Ram Jethmalani and K.K. Venugopal, there. Mutt sources said that at least three suggestions had emerged and a final decision on the appeal would be decided by the Acharya and communicated on Monday morning.

The objective would be to ensure that the appeal would not prejudice the case here.

Sri Jayendra Saraswathi has already spent 10 days in custody and some of the visitors who have seen him during this period insist: "He is determined to see through this eclipse and prove his innocence."

The mutt and its devotees launched an advertisement campaign in the media today to drive home the contribution of the Sankaracharya and the major welfare projects and programmes he has launched for the benefit of the people.

Protests

Simultaneously, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other Hindu organisations began a three-day protest programme on Saturday, to coincide with the police custody of the Acharya. Human chain protests and special prayers were held at major temples across the State and a bandh has been called for Monday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party president and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, L.K. Advani, will be leading the protest in Tamil Nadu on Monday. He is expected to visit Kancheepuram in the morning and address a public meeting in the city in the evening.

Police sources say that they have made "some headway" in the investigations and several leads have been thrown up in the past three or four days. "We have several pieces of information and are trying to link them together. There are striking similarities between the attack on Mr. Radhakrishnan in 2002 and the murder of Varadarajaperumal temple manager Sankararaman in September this year.

Those we have arrested have given us the basic details and we are still looking for a couple of others, notably Appu," an officer connected with the investigation explains.

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