Kancheepuram: Kanchi Sankaracharya
Jayendra Saraswathi, prime accused in the Sankararaman murder
case, on Friday refuted allegations that he had attempted to
influence the judge hearing the case.
"..I have never met or interacted with the Judge in question
except once, and that on August 18, when there was a hearing
of my case in his court. That was the only occasion when I
have met or spoken to the judge and have never interacted with
him on any matter beyond that, money or any other," he told
reporters here.
The seer`s comments come a day after the Madras High Court
stayed for eight weeks the trial in the case at the
Puducherry Sessions court on a petition alleging an attempt to
influence the verdict.
The petitioner had submitted that some video footage on
purported conversation between the Sankaracharya and some
others has emerged regarding alleged payments made and to be
made by the seer to influence the judgement in the case.
Jayendra said the Kanchi sankara mutt has a standing
tradition of over 69 `Guru paramparas`, and the tradition has
always respected `Dharma` and `Nyaya.`
"Obviously there is someone who is not interested in
concluding the case, and wants to prolong it, or, there is
someone wanting to make money creating such a situation - and
they have brought about such a development.I only wish to tell
the well-wishers to put faith in Dharma, nyayam and God
fearing values and keep peace."
The seer said he was "pained" and "surprised" to see
media reports in the past few days, accusing him of entering
into deals with the Judge hearing the case.
He said the only person he ever paid money to was the
Advocate representing him in the case.
On his purported telephone conversations seeking to
influence the judgement, Jayendra said he neither owns a phone
nor does he communicate through phone. The phone, the diaries
that were in the past, had all been taken away by police, he
said, adding, he always talks to the media and people
directly.
Only his assistant communicates with them if they are to
be invited, he said. "I believe only in "Dharmam, Nyayam and
the Judge and our traditional faith that Dharmam protects
those who observe Dharma."
The order staying the proceedings before the Principal
Sessions Judge against the Seer, his junior Vijayendra
Saraswathi and 22 others in Puducherry was issued on a
petition filed by city-based advocate P Sundrarajan.
Sankararaman, manager of Varadarajaperumal temple in
Kancheepuram, was murdered in the premises of the temple on
September 3, 2004. The two seers have been charged with
entering into a conspiracy and hiring a gang to murder
Sankararaman out of previous enmity.
A total of 189 witnesses have been examined and
cross-examined since commencement of the trial in April 2009,
of whom 87 have turned hostile.
The trial was shifted to Puducherry from a Chengalpattu
court on a directive by the Supreme Court on a petition filed
by Jayendra in October 2005.
PTI
