Friday, May 6 2005 18:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: Raghu, younger brother of Junior Kanchi Seer Vijayendra Saraswathi, and Kanchi Mutt manager Sundaresa Iyer, both co-accused in the Sankararaman murder case, today (May 6, 2005) moved the Madras High Court for bail.

Yesterday the High Court had set aside their mid-January detentions under the Goondas Act paving the way for them to approach the court for bail in the case. The detention of nine others under the act was set aside by a Division Bench of the High Court.

They are among the 24 accused, including Kanchi Seers Jayendra Saraswathi and Vijayendra, facing charges in the September three last murder of temple official Sankararaman.

In his application for bail, Iyer, who was arrested on December 24, said he knew Sankararaman but had never entertained any ill-will or malice towards him at any point of time.

He said he came to know that he had been implicated in the murder case by a key accused in the case Kathiravan and Ravi Subramaniam, accused-turned-approver, only from newspapers.

Submitting that there had not been a single incident in which the Seer had directed him to commit any offence or make payment in connection with the murder to anyone, directly or indirectly, Iyer said he had not conspired to murder Sankararaman.

Contending that there was no material to link him to the murder case, Raghu, in his bail appeal, claimed that the case was foisted on him, the Seers and other mutt officials.