Kanchi Acharyas appear before court

Kanchi Sankaracharyas Jayendra Saraswathi and Vijayendra Saraswathi coming out of the court in Puducherry on Monday. Photo: T. Singaravelou

Kanchi Sankaracharyas Jayendra Saraswathi and Vijayendra Saraswathi were on Monday present in a court, which is trying the Sankararaman murder case.

Principal District and Sessions Judge C.S. Murugan, who posted the case to Tuesday, exempted the Acharyas from personal appearance that day. He directed the remaining 22 accused to be present. Of the 189 prosecution witnesses examined and cross examined, 92 have turned hostile.

Earlier, Special Public Prosecutor Devadass gave a detailed briefing about the case to the new Judge.

The hearing resumed after a long gap.

The High Court stayed the proceedings in August last year after advocate P. Sundararajan lodged a complaint that tapes containing conversation between Jayendra Saraswathi and then Principal District and Sessions Judge of Puducherry T. Ramasamy were available.

He requested the court to order a retrial.

However, a Division Bench in February ordered the resumption of trial and directed the Tamil Nadu police to probe the complaint.