Thursday, February 10 2005 12:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: The Madras High Court today (Feb 10, 2005) granted bail to Kanchi Junior Seer Vijayendra Saraswathi in the Sankararaman murder case.

Granting the bail Justice M Thanikachalam directed Vijayendra Saraswathi to furnish a personal bond for Rs 50,000 with two sureties for like amount, to reside in Chennai, report at the Thousand Lights Police station every Sunday and surrender his passport.

On Feb 1 the junior Pontiff had filed a bail application in the Madras High Court seeking bail, which was denied to him by a Chengalpattu sessions court on Jan 27.

In his bail application, Vijayendra who was taken into custody on Jan 10, the day when senior Pontiff Jayendra Saraswathi, the prime accused in the case, was release on bail by the Supreme Court, said that the dismissal of his bail plea by the principal session judge Chengalpattu had been done without "properly appreciating the fact, circumstances and judgement of the Supreme court".

He said that the Apex Court had considered all materials submitted to it by prosecution and had concluded, "Prima facie a strong case had been made for the grant of bail."

Vijayendra contended that the Chengalpattu Principal Session judge's order while dismissing his bail plea was "unsustainable in law and facts".