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Newindpress.com
Seers meet in court after 3 months
Friday February 11 2005 00:00 ISTKANCHEEPURAM: All the accused in the Kanchi Sankararaman murder case, barring approver Ravi Subramaniam, were ordered to present themselves before the Kancheepuram Judicial Magistrate-I Court on February 24 to receive copies of the chargesheet.
Sources said the court is yet to make photocopies of the chargesheet and hence the adjournment.
Significantly, both the acharyas, Jayendra Saraswati and Vijayendra Saraswathi, met for the first time nearly after three months after the former was arrested on November 11. On seeing the senior pontiff at the court hall, the junior pontiff touched his feet and sought blessings.
The accused in the judicial custody were produced before the court and those on bail - Jayendra Saraswati, Senthilkumar and R Arumugam - were summoned by Magistrate G Uthamaraj for alignment of dates. And, as all stood together, the Magistrate ordered the date for their next appearance.
In a tightly-packed court hall, advocates, police and journalists jostled with each other, the two acharyas talked to each other for about 15 minutes. They also had a discussion with senior advocate K S Dinakar.
Mutt former manager Sundaresa Iyer and Vijayendrar’s brother Raghu also sought the blessings of the senior seer.
Earlier, when the 20 accused including the junior pontiff, Raghu and Sundaresa Iyer were waiting outside the court hall in a police van, the prosecution and the defence counsels argued with the other over the delay of the senior pontiff. Prosecution, led by advocate S P Thyagarajan, cited that by keeping the accused in the van they were inviting law and order problem and prayed for the production of the accused before the court.
Then the Magistrate replied that the court was waiting for Appu to come from the Cuddalore prison. The prosecution again raised an objection saying that the senior pontiff was absent as he should have come to the court by 10.30 a.m.
They wanted the court to record the delay as well. Reacting to the prosecution charge, defence counsel Dinakar said that his client was on his way and that if the prosecution pressed ahead with its objection, he was ready to file a petition seeking dispensation of his client from personal appearance.
Amidst high drama, half-an-hour later, the senior pontiff arrived in a Mutt van.
The junior acharya, who was seated in the police van stood up, folded his hands to seek his blessings.
Minutes later, Appu came in a van and went to the van in which the 20 accused were present and sat opposite the junior acharya.
Eyewitnesses said Vijayendra Saraswathi did not entertain Appu when the latter tried to talked to him.
Later when all the 24 accused were present in the court, the defence counsels complained of not being able to meet with their clients in the prison.
Upon hearing their grievances, the Magistrate ordered that the accused should be permitted to meet with their clients and directed the prison authorities to comply with the orders.
After coming out of the court hall, the senior pontiff declined to comment on the developments.
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