Kanchi Mutt Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi and his junior Vijendra Saraswathi, prime accused in the murder of a temple manager, on Monday alleged that the case had been foisted on them.
“It is a false case foisted on us and we deny as untrue the statements prosecution witnesses had deposed in court during their examination,” the seers told a crowded court here.
The statements of the seers and two others were recorded today before the Principal District and Sessions Judge T Ramasamy. Mr. Sankararman, manager of the Vardarajaperumal temple at Kancheepuram was murdered in September 2004.
The seers have been charged under Sections 120-B (Criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
The Judge adjourned the hearing to tomorrow when the remaining 20 accused would be questioned to record their explanation. Although the questioning of the two seers and the other two accused had been completed today, they should be present in court tomorrow, the judge said.
Examination of the four accused lasted nearly 75 minutes when the accused gave their statements to 554 questions the judge put to them.
There was tight security in and around the court.
The trial in Sankararaman murder case was shifted to Puducherry from Chengalpattu court in the wake of a Supreme Court directive on a petition by Jayendra Saraswathi in October 2005.
A total of 189 witnesses, including Mr. Sankararaman`s wife and his two children were examined, of whom 87 had turned hostile.
