The Hindu : National : Acharya's health is quite normal: medical team

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 11, 2004

National

National

Acharya's health is quite normal: medical team

By P.V.V. Murthi

VELLORE, DEC. 10. A four-member medical team led by the Joint Director of Medical Services, Tamil Nadu, M. Shanmugam, today conducted an hour-long detailed medical examination of the Kanchi Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, in the central prison here and came to the conclusion that his health was "quite normal."

Mobbed by mediapersons with searching questions on the Acharya's health while coming out of the prison, Dr. Shanmugam told them from his car that it was only a "routine medical examination." "He is quite normal," he said to a question on whether the Sankaracharya had any chest pain.

Mediapersons rushed to the prison in the afternoon in the wake of "rumours" that the Acharya had suffered a heart-attack. The medical team included the Deputy Director of Medical and Rural Health Services, Purushotham Vijayakumar, and cardiologist Thirumal Babu, besides a physician.

Judicial custody till December 23

Meanwhile, the judicial custody of the Sankaracharya in the Sankararaman murder case was extended till December 23 through the video-conferencing mode. The Acharya was taken to the video-conference room at 2.40 p.m. The Kancheepuram Judicial Magistrate-1, G. Uthamaraj, went to the Principal District and Sessions Court, Chingleput, and saw and heard the Acharya on the computer screen through the video-conference, lasting about three minutes. On enquiring about his health, the Acharya is reported to have said that he was quite all right. He was then informed by the magistrate that his judicial custody in the murder case was being extended till December 23.

The Acharya was to be taken to Kancheepuram today for being produced before Mr. Uthamaraj there as the earlier judicial custody in the murder case expired today. But it was decided last night to arrange for the remand extension through the video-conference between the court at Chingleput and the central prison here since the facility is not available at the Kancheepuram court.

Magistrate prefers

public transport

Our Kancheepuram Reporter adds:

Earlier, Mr. Uthamaraj refused to accept the transport facility offered by the prosecution to go to the Sessions Court at Chingleput and to get back to Kancheepuram and preferred public transport to execute his responsibility in the judicial process of extending the remand of the Kanchi Acharya.

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