Thursday, January 27 2005 16:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: Madras High Court today (Jan 27, 2005) stayed further proceedings pursuant to a notice by NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) to Tamil Nadu Government questioning the manner of arrest of Junior Acharya Vijayendra Saraswathi in Sankararaman murder case and alleged leakage of confessional statements by Kanchi Seer Jayendra Saraswathi during his police interrogation in the same case.

Justice K P Sivasubramaniam issued the interim stay effective for two weeks on a petition by the State Chief Secretary seeking to quash the notice issued by NHRC and also to stay further proceedings till the disposal of the petition.

Earlier, when the petition came up for hearing, senior Supreme court advocate K T S Tulsi argued that NHRC had no jurisdiction to interfere with the judicial process against the Kanchi Acharyas while the case was pending with the court as it would affect court proceedings.

On Jan 13, the NHRC issued a notice to Tamil Nadu Government on the circumstances of arrest of Junior Shankaracharya of Kanchi Mutt Vijayendra Saraswati and reported "selective leakage" of excerpts of police interrogation of Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi to TV channels.

The Commission asked the State Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to furnish a "factual report" within two weeks.