Kancheepuram: Raghu, the younger brother of junior Shankaracharya of Kanchi Mutt Vijayendra Saraswathi, was discharged from a private hospital in Chennai today (Dec 18, 2004) after an appendicitis surgery.

''Raghu is now convalescing at his residence in Valasaravakkam area in Chennai,'' S Shanmugam, Kanchi Mutt advocate, told reporters in Kancheepuram tonight.

The surgery on Raghu came to light when a special team investigating the murder of Sankararaman, returned empty handed when it went to the mutt today to issue summons to him to be present for an enquiry at the police office. ''But the party was told that Raghu has been hospitalised and was not available,'' police sources said.

Shanmugam said Raghu fell ill on Thursday and was hospitalised in Pammal, a suburb of Chennai. He would be in Chennai till Tuesday next for his post-operative care, and had asked for time to appear before police till Tuesday.

Quoting a top police official, the advocate said the enquiry was not urgent and a new date would be conveyed to the investigating team later.

Raghu had already been questioned by the special team for two days last week.