HC reprieve for seer

Pioneer News Service/ Chennai

The Madras High Court has dealt a death blow to what was meant to be a third case against Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati. On Friday, Justice M Thanikachalam said the case seems to have been 'foisted' on the Shankaracharya.

The judge made these observations while granting anticipatory bail to four persons, associated with the TVS group of companies, allegedly involved in the 'attack' on Mr Thirukkottiyur Madhavan, a Vaishnavite priest, in August 2004. Initially, Mr Madhavan told the doctors that he had been injured in a road accident.

Three months later, in November the priest complained to the Central Chennai police station that he had been attacked for opposing the shifting of a Lord Shiva idol from the Thirukkarungudi Perumal temple near Valliyoor, in Tirunelveli district.

In his complaint, Mr Madhavan named Sri Saraswati and some employees of the TVS Group as those responsible for the attack. The case was then handed over to the special police team probing the Kanchipuram Sankararaman murder case.

Granting anticipatory bail to the accused Muthukrishnan, Selvam, Seshadri and Ranganathan, Justice M Thanikachalam observed: "Considering the facts of the case, as well as the inordinate delay in preferring the complaint, and considering the towering fact that at the earliest opportunity, the complainant reported that he sustained injuries only in a road accident, I am of the undoubted view that this case must be a foisted one."

The Court also noted that the doctor who treated Mr Madhavan had recorded that he was conscious at the time and had stated that he was injured in a road accident. The injuries, given in the wound certificate, "suggest the complainant might have suffered the injuries only in a road accident," the judge observed.

"I am unable to believe the statement of the complainant, even prima facie, that he was a target of attempt to murder by these persons, who are working in a reputed company holding respectable and responsible posts," Justice Thanikachalam said, adding that the statement to the police that Sri Jayendra Saraswati was responsible for the dispute at the Thirukkarungudi temple also failed to persuade him.

Sri Jayendra Saraswati has also sought anticipatory bail in the case. His petition is due to come up on February 3.

The four petitioners - a former police officer in charge of security at the industrial house, his two subordinates, and an executive - were granted pre-arrest bail and directed to appear before the Judicial Magistrate-II, Kanchipuram, within 15 days and execute bail bonds.

The Kanchi Math's senior Acharya has already obtained bail in two cases, the Sankararaman murder case and the Radhakrishnan attempt to murder case.