New Delhi: The Supreme Court today (Nov 23, 2004) fixed Thursday (Nov 25, 2004) for hearing a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) seeking a CBI probe into the arrest of Kanchi Seer Shankaracharya in a murder case.

The PIL, filed yesterday by BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) Rajya Sabha member BP Singhal, alleged that the Tamil Nadu police was "showing bias" against the religious leader.

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The petition accused the State police of implicating the Seer in the murder case and sought transfer of the case to another State.

Singhal's counsel Harsh Vir Pratap Sharma had alleged the manner in which the Seer was arrested indicated violation of several guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court in D K Basu case.

Asserting that the need of the hour was a "free and fair probe into the entire incident" which could be done by the CBI, he alleged the manner in which the Tamil Nadu police was proceeding in the case exhibited "malafide" intentions.

Sharma said the petitioner was not arguing the case for the Shankaracharya but was interested in a free and fair probe to get the real culprits to the book.