Sankararaman Murder: 3 More Witnesses Turn Hostile

Three more prosecution witnesses today turned hostile during the trial of Sankararaman murder case, in which Kanchi Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi is the prime accused.

So far 185 witnesses have been examined since the commencement of the trial here about two years ago and of them 80 have turned hostile.

When the case came up before Principal District and Sessions Judge K. Ramswamy, Special Public Prosecutor N Devadoss examined the witnesses and declared three of them as hostile after they contradicted their earlier statements.

Sankararaman the manager in the Varadarajaperumal temple in Kancheepuram was allegedly murdered on the premises of the temple on September 3, 2004. The Sankaracharya and his deputy Vijayendra Saraswathi have been charged with conspiracy in eliminating Sankararaman out of personal enmity.

Of the 24 accused, only four were present during the hearing today and the absentees included the two seers.

The Judge adjourned further hearing in the case to April 18.

The Special Public Prosecutor told PTI that five more witnesses would be examined at the next hearing.

The case was shifted to Puducherry by the Supreme Court on a petition by the Sankaracharya.