The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Charge sheet copies given to Acharyas

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 01, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Charge sheet copies given to Acharyas

By K.T. Sangameswaran

KANCHEEPURAM, MARCH 31. Copies of the charge sheet in the Sankararaman murder case were today furnished to the 24 accused including the Kanchi Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, and his junior, Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi.

After the copies of the charge sheet, running into nearly 1850 pages, were furnished, Judicial Magistrate-I G. Uthamaraj adjourned the case to April 5 for the prosecution to examine approver Ravi Subramaniam.

`No further probe'

Earlier the magistrate, dismissed a petition by Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, who said the proceedings should be deferred.

When the case was taken up, Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Balasundaram submitted a memo, in response to the Acharya's petition, stating the prosecution was not doing any further investigation.

At the hearing on March 24, he filed the petition saying further investigation was on and hence the proceedings should be deferred until a "further report" was filed.

K.S. Dinakaran, counsel for the Acharya, said he had enclosed a copy of the March 12 summons issued to a Chennai-based doctor under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code, asking him to appear before the chief investigating officer. The charge sheet was filed long ago (January 21). So from the issue of summons, it could be inferred that further investigation was on.

However, the SPP and the assistant public prosecutor (APP), S. Thyagarajan, assured the court there was no further probe. "We are not filing any petition seeking permission for further investigation", the APP said.

Dismissing the petition, the magistrate said the doctor was not summoned in the case of the murder the Kancheepuram Varadaraja Perumal temple manager.

When the charge sheet copies were being furnished, an accused, K.S. Kumar, said he had no advocate to defend him. The magistrate said his representation would be considered.

`No place for religion'

Another accused, Silver Star alias Stalin, asked how he could accept the copies as the charge sheet was laid in a temple before it was submitted to the court. The magistrate said the court prepared the copies and was giving them to the accused. There was no place for religion in the court.

Copies of some voluminous documents were not being given and they could be perused in the court, the magistrate said.

The court initially gave a copy of the charge sheet to the approver, who was present. It was taken back when defence counsel said furnishing a copy to an approver amounted to tutoring him.

It was a stuffy atmosphere in the tiled-roof court hall, which was overcrowded. At one stage during the proceedings, the senior Acharya was visibly exhausted. A stool was brought and he sat on it. N. Sundaresa Iyer, manager of the Kanchi Sankara mutt, an accused, comforted the Acharya, using a hand fan.

In contrast to the situation at the last hearing, policemen were present on the court premises today.

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