Mutt devotee files suit against media

Chennai, Dec 17: A Kanchi mutt devotee has filed a civil suit in the Madras High Court to restrain the media from telecasting or writing sensational news items tarnishing the image of the Kanchi mutt and its Sankaracharyas.

"Under the guise of investigative journalism, journals have been publishing very wild stories by imputing various false allegations of misconduct, immoral behaviour and criminal conduct on Sankaracharyas of Kanchi Sankara Mutt, its followers and its employees," the city-based plaintiff K Narasimhan alleged.

Alleging that some politicians and a section of the Tamil media supporting them had developed ill-feelings towards the mutt, he claimed that the press had the right only to publish court proceedings and official statements of agencies investigating cases against Kanchi Sanakaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi.

The press, the devotee claimed, did not have any right to publish anything about the merit of the cases and statements by arrested persons and witnesses.

He contended that despite many political leaders criticising the press, it had not scaled down its writings but continued in the same manner.

Those named as defendants in the suit are the editors and publishers of Dinakaran (daily), Kumudam (weekly), Nakkeeran (bi-weekly), Nettrikkan (bi-weekly) and MD of Vijay TV.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP legal cell has demanded a thorough probe into the alleged leakage of confidential matter obtained during interrogation of accused in the Sankararaman murder case, in which the Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswathi is the main accused, and video clippings of the Sankaracharya half-clothed.

In a memorandum presented to Governor Surjit Singh Barnala today, a delegation of the cell led by its president K Rajendran sought his intervention to change the Kancheepuram district SP Premkumar and ensure free and fair investigation in the cases against the seer.

Alleging that the entire state machinery was focussed on defaming a premier Hindu religious mutt and were leaking out contents of confessions and statements to achieve its objective, the cell charged Premkumar with being behind it.

"It is a shame on the part of the investigation to leak out the outcome of its investigation purposely, that too the statements recorded during examination of witnesses," the memorandum said.

Besides the Sankararaman murder case, the seer is also accused in the Radhakrishnan attack case. (Our Correspondent)