The Hindu : Front Page : Three-day police custody for Appu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 21, 2004

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Three-day police custody for Appu

By V. Venkatasubramanian

Appu, prime accused in the Sankararaman murder case, being taken to the Kancheepuram court on Monday. -- Photo: A. Muralitharan

KANCHEEPURAM, DEC. 20. Appu alias Krishnasamy, prime accused in the Sankararaman murder case, was today remanded to 15 days' judicial custody by the Kancheepuram Judicial Magistrate-I, G. Uthamaraj. Following a request from the investigation team, the Magistrate subsequently ordered three days' police custody saying this was necessary for further investigation. Hence, Appu will remain in police custody till 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

However, Appu will be allowed to meet a lawyer of his choice everyday between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. in police custody. Since his lawyer submitted that Appu had a cardiac problem, he will be examined by Government doctors everyday.

As soon as the Magistrate pronounced his orders, the Senior Public Prosecutor, S. Jayakumar, objected to the granting of permission to the accused to meet a lawyer of his choice in police custody. He cited a clarification issued by the Madras High Court in respect of the Kanchi Sankaracharya's police custody order issued by the Kancheepuram Judicial Magistrate Court-I to strengthen his case.

However, after going through the clarification, the Magistrate read out a portion to point out that permission was not given only during interrogation. Hence, his order on allowing Appu to meet his lawyer stood.

Earlier, the Chief Investigation Officer, S.P. Sakthivelu, in his sworn affidavit said that Appu was arrested by a team of Chennai City Police — headed by the Koyambedu Police Station Inspector, Srinivasan — at Balakrishnapuram village in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, on December 19 in the presence of the Superintendent of Police, Kancheepuram, K. Premkumar, who is also heading the special investigation team. He also sought one week's police custody for Appu to interrogate him in connection with the murder. When the Magistrate asked Appu whether he had any objection, he said he was ready to undergo police custody.

Appearing for the accused, C.M. Seetharaman, an advocate, wanted the court to take note that his client had surrendered before the special investigation team and that he was not arrested at gun point as claimed.

"Major breakthrough"

Earlier in the day, Mr. Premkumar claimed that Appu's arrest was a major breakthrough for the prosecution. Talking to reporters, he said that Appu, cited as accused number 3 in the Sankararaman murder case, surrendered to the special police party without resistance, after it surrounded his house at Puttur on Sunday at 4 p.m.

Mr. Premkumar said the night-long interrogation showed that Appu had connections with the Kanchi Sankara Mutt and had visited the Mutt 12 times in August. Claiming that there was enough evidence against the accused, he said: "But still we are interrogating and strengthening the prosecution."

Asked about a rumour that one of the accused, Ravi Subramaniam, had committed suicide, he said it was not true.

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