Monday, January 10 2005 11:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today (Jan 10, 2005) granted bail to Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati in the Sankararaman murder case in which he was arrested on November 11 last year.

The Court, while granting bail, asked the Seer not to go to the Mutt till the chargesheet is filed and probe into the case is completed.

The three-judge Bench comprising Chief Justice R C Lahoti, Justice G P Mathur and Justice P P Maolekar said, "We are of the opinion that prima facie a strong case has been made out for grant of bail," and allowed the appeal filed by Jayendra Saraswati challenging the Madras High Court order refusing him bail.

The Court said, "He will be relieved from prison after furnishing a bail bond and two sureties to the satisfaction of the trial court."

The verdict was delivered in a jam-packed court by Justice Mathur, who wrote the judgement for the Bench.

The Court had on January 7 reserved orders on the bail application after arguments by Shankaracharya's counsel Fali S Nariman, who had challenged some of the prosecution theories on which he was arrested in the murder of the temple official.

Prosecution counsel K T S Tulsi had opposed the bail application on various grounds and maintained that if the Shankaracharya was released, a number of Mutt officials, who were witness in the case may be pressurised not to speak the truth.

The Seer has been in jail ever since his arrest on Diwali day in November in the Sankararaman murder case and later in the Radhakrishan assault case.

The Court directed the Seer to deposit his passport with the investigating agency and cooperate in the probe as well as appear before the police as and when required for the purpose.