Hindu Drama

One of the major India-based Hindu leaders globally, has been embroiled in intrigue since November 2004 that has essentially captured the attention of Hindus across the diaspora. Yet news of the circumstances and developments have managed, like all things Indian and Hindu, to evade the local media. Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi, arrested in Andhra Pradesh on November 11, 2004 in a dramatic development in connection with the murder of a former Sankara Mutt official, was this morning produced before a magistrate in Kancheepuram who remanded him to judicial custody at Vellore prison. The arrest was timed to be one day before the Divali celebrations in India. Shortly after he was brought to Chennai, 70 km from Kancheepuram, by a special police team from Tamil Nadu by a state-owned aircraft, Jayendra Saraswathi, whom the opposition parties in the state had accused of having considerable clout with the AIADMK (All Indian Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) government, was brought by road to this temple town, the seat of the Pontiff, and produced before Judicial First Class Magistrate G Uttamaraj.

During the hour long proceedings, the magistrate ordered the remand and told the Shankaracharya’s counsel Y Thiyagarajan that the jail authorities would decide on the medical treatment to the pontiff since he claimed that he was an insulin dependent diabetic patient. The sensational arrest of the politically famous 70-year-old Shankaracharya, who in the last two years had acted as a go-between in the Ayodhya issue between Sangh Parivar and Muslim organisations, followed investigation into the murder of Sankararaman, who had managed the accounts of the Mutt during late Paramacharya Chandrasekerendra Saraswthi’s period. Sankararaman was reported to have had differences with Jayendra Saraswathi and had left the Mutt and worked as the manager of the famous Vaishnavite Varadharajaperumal temple in Kancheepuram where he was murdered on Sept 3, 2004. Early this year, writing under a different name, Sankararaman had reportedly sent a letter to Tamil Nadu chief minister and the state hindu religious and charitable endowment department with details of alleged financial irregularities in the Mutt.

He had also later claimed threat to his life through anonymous calls. These letters were seized from his residence after the murder. He had also filed a writ in the Madras High Court four years back against the seer’s then proposed visit to China, which was later called off. A Vellore report said the seer, brought by road, was lodged in the prison this morning. He did not speak to waiting press persons. Strongly denying the involvement of the Sankaracharya in the murder, his counsel Y Thiagarajan told reporters that arrest was “politically vindictive action.” Some vested interests and political parties had threatened an agitation. That is why he has been arrested. The Mutt is in no way connected with the incident. We will seek redressal in law. The charges are baseless and based on confession by a third party,” he alleged.

Asked whether a bail application would be moved, he said, “No. But there are other considerations to attend to.” Sankararaman was murdered inside the temple complex by five persons. As the investigation progressed and reports of suspected involvement of the Mutt in the murder surfaced, a group of five persons surrendered before the police, but were let off because they had no real involvement in the case. Earlier, giving details about the case, superintendent of police C Premkumar told reporters at the Chennai airport last night that two of the 14 arrested in the case had pointed to the “involvement” of the Shankaracharya. The seer faces charges under IPC sections 302 (murder), 120-B (conspiracy) and 109 (abetment). A grim looking Acharya did not speak to media-persons outside the court when he was being taken to the Vellore central prison.

Tamil Nadu police on December 3, 2004 arrested Appu, who was allegedly paid US$22,700 by the Kanchi Shankaracharya to arrange the killing of the Mutt accountant Shankaraman. The police claimed that Appu, also known as Krishnaswamy, followed orders of the Kanchi seer and organised the killing. They say their suspicion is based upon confessions by Kathiravan and Chinna, who are now in jail for allegedly executing the crime. The police also claimed to have records of bank transactions and mobile phone calls between the seer and Appu. He has been taken to Hyderabad and will be brought to Kancheepuram for interrogation. A division bench of the Madras High Court on November 23 had stayed a single judge’s order granting permission to Appu to go abroad for medical treatment. Eight cases were pending against him, police said adding in some cases, trial had commenced and hearing has been postponed for the appearance of the accused.

Meanwhile, an eight-member police team from Tamil Nadu is in Delhi to arrest Ravi Subramaniam, a Chennai-based contractor who is believed to have paid money for the contract killing of Shankaraman. Ravi Subramaniam has been missing and is believed to be in Delhi. Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama Thursday said while the arrest of Hindu seer Jayendra Saraswathi in a murder case was unfortunate, the law should take its own course. “Though we are very sad to know about the seer’s arrest, I am of the view the law should take its own course in this matter,” the Dalai Lama, in India for a function organised by the Rotary Bangalore Middletown, told reporters.

Delivering an address on “Universal Brotherhood,” the Buddhist leader said India had a good democratic system and an independent judiciary. “I am confident that the rule of law will prevail even in the seer’s case,” he added. The Dwarakapeeth Sankaracharya, Swaroopanand, asked the Kanchi Sankaracharya, Jayendra Saraswathi, to step down from his post until proved innocent. “The Acharya must step down from the post of Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt until he is absolved by the court of the charges against him in the Sankararaman murder case,” he told reporters in India. “If a public representative or a minister was required to quit his post for alleged complicity in a criminal or murder case, then why not the Acharya also quit his post?” he asked.