Kancheepuram: Counsel for two of the key accused in the Sankararaman murder case today (Nov 26, 2004) alleged that the police had identified his clients to the family members of the slain temple official days before they formally identified them during a parade in a Chennai prison.

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A memo mentioning this charge was filed before the Judicial Magistrate Court-I this afternoon, advocate Darwin Wisdom, appearing for Silverstar alias Stalin and "Mattu" Baskar, told reporters outside the court.

The two had been charged with direct involvement in the murder of Sankararaman, manager of the Varadaraja Perumal Temple in Kancheepuram, on Sep 3.

Magistrate G Uthamaraj had on Nov 19 remanded Stalin and Baskar to judicial custody till Dec 5 after rejecting the prosecution application seeking five days police custody.

Wisdom claimed that after the magistrate extended their remand, police had taken the two to the district SP office in Kancheepuram instead of proceeding to Chennai.

They were detained at the office for an hour, he said adding during that time the widow of Sankararaman, his son and daughter were brought there and his clients identified them.

He said only after this, the three had identified Stalin and Baskar in the identification parade conducted on Monday (Nov 22, 2004).