Kancheepuram: Usha, a woman from Srirangam, wanted by police for interrogation in connection with the Sankararaman murder case, in which Kanchi Seer Jayendra Saraswathi was arrested, "presented herself" before the police in Kancheepuram today (Nov 30, 2004).

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Sudha Ramalingam and Arivu Nidhi, the two advocates representing her, told reporters that Usha was not "hiding or absconding" as was made out by the prosecution yesterday (Nov 29, 2004) and "she is very much available for any inquiry".

The advocates said that Usha was a cancer patient and she was a beneficiary of Kanchi mutt's "generous help". "She (Usha) is not absconding or hiding and she had presented herself before the police for any inquiry," the advocates told reporters in Usha's presence.

During the hearing of the bail plea of the Seer, the Prosecution had told the Madras High Court yesterday that the Pontiff had extensive telephonic conversations with Usha at Srirangam.

"We wanted to interrogate her but she had made herself scarce and is absconding," Tulsi, Senior Supreme Court lawyer, appearing for the Tamil Nadu Government, had said.

In the counter-affidavit, police had contended that the conversation between the Seer and Usha used to last even for 900 pulse units. The woman was provided with free quarters and large amount of money, which was periodically transferred to her through bank transactions.

"Her involvement in the conspiracy and other allied matters were being probed since the Seer regularly spoke to her before and after the murder," police had contended.

Usha drove from Chennai to the District police office in Kancheepuram and appeared before the Additional Superintendent of police, Bhuvaneshwari.

Sudha Ramalingam, her advocate said that since Usha heard the TV news last night (Nov 29, 2004) saying that she was absconding, she chose to present herself before the police.

Sudha said that that this was not 'surrender'. She was only presenting herself. Usha is blameless and there is no case on her now. "Usha has been suffering from many ailments from the time she was 20 years old and she is now suffering from breast cancer." She had to undergo many sittings of chemotherapy and had to be hospitalised several times. It was her husband, Narayanan, who had approached the Kanchi Acharya for medical help.

Narayanan "went broke" in business and following heavy debts, he deserted Usha. The medical expenses were met because of the help from the mutt and Usha's relatives, Sudha said adding that the police had visited her house in Srirangam, near Tiruchirappalli, and made enquiries there on October 12.

The police did not find it necessary to make any further investigations, but the house owners became uneasy about it and Usha had to vacate the house. She has been staying with her relatives in Chennai all these days, Sudha said.

Usha's brother, Jagannathan, who was also present during the press conference, said at one stage that, Usha went to the extent of trying to commit suicide because of her ill health and the lack of means to meet her health expenses. Adding, "It was then that she received help as well as solace from the Kanchi Acharya."

Usha did not reside in Kanchi mutt but contacted the mutt only through phone. "It is extremely uncivilised to deduce any pervert or sexual overtones to this," Sudha said.

Meanwhile, Usha told 'NDTV' that she was not aware of the murder of Sankararaman as she never watched TV programmes nor read newspapers because of her illness.

Asked about the allegations of money transfers made by the mutt to her, she said that "nothing of that sort took place". Denying that she was "absconding" Usha said that in mid-October police came to her house in Srirangam to make some enquiries about the passport for which she had applied. She was advised by a friend to "come to Dubai for some rest". "I left Srirangam, where I was living with my aged mother, because I felt humiliated by police visits. Srirangam, being a small place, neighbours will view everything with suspicion," Usha added.