Plea to restrain media from writing on seer

CHENNAI: A devotee of Kanchi Acharya Jayendra Saraswathi has moved the Madras High Court with a civil suit to restrain a vernacular newspaper, a TV channel and four magazines from publishing or telecasting news, articles, write-ups or stories implicating the Acharya with any criminal case or improper or immoral conduct.

In his suit, K Narasimhan of Mylapore submitted that Dinakaran Tamil daily, Kumudham Reporter, Nakkeeran, Kumudham, Netrikkan magazines and Vijay TV have been publishing/telecasting wild stories about the Acharya under the guise of investigative journalism.

According to plaintiff’s advocate A Sirajudeen, the journals had made various false allegations of misconduct, immoral behaviour and criminal conduct against the Acharya, the Mutt and its followers and employees.

The stories stated that the Sankaracharias indulged in unholy acts such as having sexual relationship with women and misappropriation of Mutt properties.

The allegations and writings damaged the reputation of the Acharyas and the Mutt and the Hindu religion, he said and sought to restrain them from writing anything about the Acharya.