Key witness in Sankararaman case says he is under threat

 P. Subramaniam alias Ravi Subramaniam, the approver who turned hostile in the Sankararaman murder case and the Mandaveli Radhakrishnan assault case has alleged that he was under threat from some persons related to the Kanchi Mutt.

 In a petition given to the Police Commissioner, Ravi Subramaniam said he was planning to meet the Special Prosecutor in the Radhakrishnan case, which is still under trial, and disclose all the facts in the case.

This was because his conscience was troubling him that by turning hostile, he would be facilitating the real culprits to escape from law.

 On June 8, when he was in the court to meet the SPP, some persons close to the Kanchi Mutt had threatened him not to depose against Jayendra Saraswati, the Sankaracharya of the Mutt, he alleged.

 Ravi Subramaniam demanded cancellation of bail given to the accused in the Radhakrishnan assault case and reiterated that he was under surveillance of some unidentified persons.

 While the Sankararaman case resulted in the acquittal of all accused persons, the Radhakrishnan assault case, in which Sri Jayendra is cited as an accused, is still going on.

The Foreshore Estate Police in Chennai registered the case against him and others alleging that Mr. Radhakrishnan, his wife and an attendant were attacked by a gang in his house on September 20, 2002.

Eleven persons had been cited as accused in the case. Ravi Subramaniam had turned approver.

The trial commenced in February 2011 before I Additional Sessions Court and Radhakrishnan gave his deposition, while Ravi Subramaniam, the lone approver, turned hostile.