"I am not afraid of anyone" - S.Gurumurthy

Then Came the Case
"The Bitter Pill the Police had to Swallow" [Txlator's note: literally, the asafoeitda ('hing') that irrated the police's eyes]

Vishnu Kanchi police have filed a case against noted journalist S. Gurumurty. 'Refusal to give revealing information about the Sankarraman murder case', 'Refusal to respond to a legally appointed enquiry officer's question, conveying false evidence to the Government' - the case has been registered under these 3 sections.

Convener of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Gurumurthy is also in touch with a number of Hindu organizations. Special police interrogated him on December 9th in connection with Jayendrar [Swamigal]'s case,

Gurumurthy sent a lawyer notice to SP [Premkumar] and Additional SP [Shaktivel] asking for the video shots of that interrogation taken at the Forest Bungalow. With that, he sent Rs 1000 also as cost for copying the video. 'After bringing me in for questioning, and taking video without permission, the pictures and details of that interrogation were given to journals [which is] wrong under IPC 166. [Show cause as to] why I should not proceed in court against you?" asked Gurumurthy in that notice.

In this circumstance, came the case. Gurumurthy in hiding! Special Force sent to find him! - These are the rumors emerging from Kanchi.

At this stage, we contacted Gurumurthy on his cell phone.

"I haven't disappeared anywhere. I am in Mumbai on work. I am going to Delhi from here and I will be in Chennai at month end. In the meanwhile, if the Kanchi Special Police want to talk to me, they are free to do so. I have informed them through my lawyer and even given them my cell phone number.

With this introduction, Gurumurthy got ready to take our questions.

What did you do so as to cause the police to call you for interrogation in Jayendrar's case?

G: I look at any problem from an alternate perspective. In the same way, I looked at Jayendrar's arrest matter also. I wrote my opinions in journals like Indian Express, Thuglak, etc..

In this murder case, most journals are putting out only the information spread by the police -- that is my primary assessment.

In that deluge of news, the few articles I wrote were like a little drop [of asofoetida or 'hing'- a strong astringent spice] in the ocean. That bitter pill is what the police are having trouble swallowing. [Translator's note: literally, that 'hing' is what is irritating the police's eyes].

I emphasized in my articles that the police should investigate the Sankarraman murder from all angles. The police itself says that Sankarraman wrote that if there was any harm to [his] life, the Sankaramatam would be responsible. How would the Sankaramatam or its Madaadipathis conspire to murder a person who had already identified them as an enemy in advance? - That is the logical question I raised. Couldn't anybody who knew of this public feud have committed the murder, thinking they would easily escape punishment? The police did not look at the case from this angle at all - This was the second question I raised.

When police investigate a murder case, they have to do it with an open mind, looking at all different angles, without ignoring any fact. Especially in a criminal investigation, police have to follow this.

But in the Sankarraman murder case, police are sticking to only the angle they want - and only trying to prove the version of the case they already have [in mind]. As a journalist and a citizen who cares about the welfare of society, I have full freedom to express this opinion. I have written clearly in the article I wrote in Thuglak. But the police is accusing me of weakening the Sankarraman murder case! (a short pause) - Maybe Premkumar likes my sharp approach to the case and wants to keep chatting with me over and over, so probably that is why he is inviting me back to Kanchi by connecting me to the case - (at the other end, a loud laugh!)

What did they ask you during interrogation in the Forest Bungalow? Isn't it said that you tried to hide information?

G: Initially, in the summons they sent me, they said 'Since you write so keenly about the Sankarraman murder case, you must know some details about the case. That's why, by law, we want to interrogate you.'

I appeared on December 9th in person - Premkumar talked to me. We can't say there was any interrogation because what took place that day was only an argument between me and the police.

Police know full well that I do not know either about the victim or who committed the murder. That is why they did not ask me any questions about this. They asked me again and again about the questions I raised in my articles. I don't understand what it is they claim I hid!

Not only that, SP Premkumar, when he called me for interrogation, told me off the record about some difficulties in the police interrogation. I did not write about any of that.

Based on what did you say the murder investigation is not going on the right way?

The police's initial investigation said that money distributed to the murderers came from the ICICI Mutt account. For that, police could not show any evidence to document that, either directly or through the bank. When it became known the money wasn't taken out from that bank, they began hunting around from bank to bank.

When the Supreme Court asked did Jayendrar have any direct connection to the murder, for that [question], the police side could not give an answer. On the basis of these discrepancies only, the Supreme Court granted bail to Jayendrar.

After starting to investigate the Madaadipathis in a murder case, simultaneously, sleazy rumors were started up about women issues.

I want to tell one truth in this matter. Writer Anuradha Ramanan started stirring up complaints that Jayendrar tried to misbehave with her privately.

But last year, March 21st, in a meeting arranged by Kanchi Kamakoti Sankara Medical Trust in Rathnagiriswar Temple in Besantnagar, the same Anuradha Ramanan has spoken in that meeting praising Jayendrar to the heavens. 'I was suffering from paralysis. If I am able to walk and talk before you, the reason is Jayendrar only,' - like this she talked. Many highly placed people heard this with their own ears.

An Elder whom she had respected 8 months before, today, the same woman is suddenly making shocking accusations against. What is the background behind this? Did someone instigate her against Jayendrar? This is enough to say the police investigation is not going on the proper path.

Do you think there might be other reasons to file a case against you?

G: Somebody might have thought I am giving legal opinions to Jayendrar who is out on bail and staying in Kalavai. Or polic emight have thought I could take some next intent step regarding this case.

So far, the police have not responded to the lawyer notice [I sent them]. This is the current situation.

Fundamentally, I am not afraid of anyone. I am not hesitant to face anything legally. Anyone who knows about my past will understand this. For the time being, I have given a fitting response to the police. After I come back to Chennai, the next actions will follow.