Thursday, March 10 2005 19:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kancheepuram: The judicial remand of 19 of the 24 accused in the Sankararaman murder case was extended to March 24 by the first class Judcial magistrate G Uttamaraj today (Mar 10, 2005).

Uttamaraj went to Chengalpattu Sessions court where he used using video-conferencing facility to extend the remand.

Kanchi Seer Jayendra Saraswathi, who was to appear before the Magistrate, did not appear. Instead his advocate filed an application under section Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) 317, seeking to dispense with his presence in the court today in view of the Aradhana celebrations of late Chandrasekerendra Saraswathi. Jayendra was released on bail by the Supreme Court in the case.

Following the "intimation" given by the court to the five accused who are on bail, including Junior Pontiff Vijayendra Saraswathi, the court had asked them to be present in the court on March 24.

Appu, one of the prime accused in the case, also did not appear because he is appearing before a Board to represent his case against his detention under the Goondas Act and his remand was also extended to March 24 by the magistrate.

For the third successive time, copies of the chargesheets, filed on January 21, could not be given to the accused in the case. The Magistrate said the "enormity" of it was the reason for the delay in serving it on the accused.