Shankaracharya acquitted in Sankararaman case: Key case facts

With as many as 20 witnesses turning hostile in the Sankararaman murder case, a Puducherry court on Wednesday acquitted all 23 accused including the Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati, seer of the Kanchi Mutt.

Public prosecutors admitted the witnesses including prosecution witnesses turned hostile, with the result that no motive or conspiracy could be proved, leading to all .

The case till now:

* On 3 September, 2004, a man named Sankararaman, a manager of the Varadarajaperumal temple in Kanchipuram, was murdered. A report in Tamil magazine Nakkeeran then linked the murder to the pontiff of the Kanchi Kamakoti mutt, Jayendra Saraswati.Nakkeeran reporter Damodaran Prakash quoted letters from Sankararaman to various publications, authorities and corporates regarding alleged malpractices in the Kanchi Mutt, the Shaivite Hindu mutt.

* It began to appear that Sankararaman was a serial letter writer and whistleblower, and he had even approached the Mutt about the alleged malpractices, misuse of funds, the Shankaracharya’s travels abroad, etc.

* Given that he was a much-revered religious leader whose support was wooed by political leaders and business magnates, the allegations against the Shankaracharya led to a furore among his followers. A political drama followed too, with the opposition DMK launching a massive offensive against Jayalalithaa, followed later by rumours that the case against the seers was itself caused by the Mutt’s growing friendship with the DMK. There were also rumours that the TN government was eyeing the expansive properties of the mutt.More political drama ensued with right wing parties staging protests and dharnas, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj later visiting the seer in jail and more.

* In November 2004, as the Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati and his junior Vijayendra Saraswati were conducting a puja in Mahbubnagar, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu Police arrested the seer.

* Barely weeks later, one of the accused, Kathiravan withdrew his statement made in front of a magistrate. Kathiravan was later murdered.

* In December 2004, absconding accused Appu, or Krishnaswamy, surrendered. More arrests followed, including the Mutt manager, the younger seer and the latter’s brother.

* The Shankaracharya would later get bail from the Supreme Court, after being denied bail by the trial court and the High Court.

* In October 2005, the case was transferred out of Tamil Nadu to Puducherry.

* More twists followed, with the seer being charged during the trial with assaulting mutt employee Radhakrishnan, of financial irregularities, etc. There was also a sexual exploitation allegation.

* Investigating Officer Premkumar was later suspended – he had shown undue personal interest in the case, itr was alleged, and he had even encouraged one of the accused to flee custody.

* More than 180 witnesses were examined in the trial, including 81 who turned hostile. Sankararaman’s wife and son also reportedly gave contradictory statements

* The high drama around the case continued in 2011 when the trial was stayed after telephone records of the seer allegedly trying to broker a deal with a Puducherry judge emerged.