Hindu seer 'confesses to murder'

November 29, 2004

Hindu seer 'confesses to murder' Monday, 29 November, 2004, 15:57 GMT

Supporters have launched violent protests over the seer's arrest

A top Hindu cleric has confessed to murdering a worker at his temple in India's southern Tamil Nadu state, prosecutors told a court on Monday.

They said Jayendra Saraswathi had confessed on videotape that he ordered the murder in "a moment of weakness".

Defence lawyers have cast doubt on the confession but because of time restrictions must wait until Tuesday to respond in court.

The case has gripped India, with the seer's followers furious at his arrest.

Mr Saraswathi, who heads one of the five seats of Hinduism in India, faces charges of murder, conspiracy and suppression of evidence over the death of the temple official, Sankararaman, in September.

Last Wednesday one of the men arrested in the case said police had tortured him to implicate the seer.

'Women present'

Prosecuting counsel told the Madras (Chennai) High Court that the cleric convened a meeting of his confidants, including the chief of a murder squad, and discussed his problems with Sankararaman.

Profile: Jayendra Saraswathi

Sankararaman was reportedly writing anonymous letters charging him with various misdemeanours.

"In a moment of weakness I ordered his murder," the counsel quoted the cleric as saying.

The affidavit further stated that the charges Sankararaman had levelled against Mr Saraswati included embezzlement of gold procured for making a temple chariot and providing lavish lifestyles for the seer's relatives.

It also claimed women were present at the Kanchi Shankara Mutt, the influential religious establishment Mr Saraswathi heads.

Hindu seer 'confesses to murder' http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4052333.stm

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November 30, 2004

Tamil writer levels sex charges against seer

By P C Vinoj Kumar in Chennai

Monday, 29 November , 2004, 19:35

In a sensational disclosure, noted Tamil writer Anuradha Ramanan has alleged that Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati attempted to sexually abuse her in 1992.

The 56-year old writer issued a five-page statement on Monday describing in detail how she got introduced to the Shankaracharya, and how he had allegedly attempted to abuse her.

According to the writer, she got an invitation from the seer in 1992 to visit the Kanchi math for discussions on launching a Tamil spiritual magazine. "At the first meeting, Jayendrar explained about the magazine and offered to make me its editor."

Anuradha recalls that she happily agreed to the proposal. Subsequently, she claims to have gone to the math for discussions a few times along with another woman, who she has not identified. In the first few meetings the seer supposedly spoke about only spiritual matters.

However, she was shocked when at one meeting, he allegedly started talking in "vulgar" terms. "When I looked up from my writing, I was shocked to find the seer and the woman who had taken me there in a very intimate position."

Anuradha alleges that the seer then approached her. When she protested, and began shouting at the seer, the other woman tried to convince her about her "good fortune." When she tried to leave the place, the seer allegedly threatened her not to reveal about the incident to anyone.

Anuradha claims to have informed one of her friends, "a top lady police officer," on what happened to her at the math. "The officer comforted me and asked me to give a written complaint. But I hesitated to lodge a complaint. I did not want to damage the reputation of the math, which was being held in high esteems by crores of people."

The writer says that she had fallen unconscious even as she was speaking to the officer. "I was rushed to the hospital," she recalls.

Anuradha also alleged that she received threats from the seer as well as promises of huge money to buy her silence. jagbir singh <adishakti_org wrote: