Saturday, March 19 2005 12:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Government has filed a defamation petition in a city court against senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Union Minister Murli Manohar Joshi for making certain remarks against the Government in connection with the arrest of Kanchi Seer Jayendra Saraswathi in the Sankararaman murder case.

The petition, filed in the Principal Sessions Court yesterday (Mar 18, 2005) by Public Prosecutor T V Ganesh on behalf of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, sought to punish Joshi for his "per se defamatory remarks".

It alleged that Joshi, who met the Seer in the Vellore Central Prison on November 14, reportedly told media persons that there was an ulterior motive to the arrest and that it was the result of a conspiracy.

Ganesh said that the remarks were made without verifying facts and had tarnished the image of the Government.

The Shankaracharya was arrested on November 11 in connection with the murder of Sankararaman, manager of a Kancheepuram temple in September last, and lodged in the Vellore prison where he remained till he was granted bail by the Supreme Court on January 10.