Seer in police custody

BJP to launch countrywide agitation against arrest

The worst fears of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam's devotees were confirmed today. A local court remanded Kanchi Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi to police custody for three days.

The judge said it was "just" and "necessary" to keep him in custody for interrogation. The Kanchi mutt announced that it would appeal against the decision of the lower court, but the high court would hear the case only tomorrow.

The Sankaracharya was arrested last week in connection with the murder of a temple official in September.

The BJP, for the first time, announced its support for the Sankaracharya and denounced Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for ordering the seer's arrest, which they said was an attempt to appease the minorities.

The Congress criticised the BJP for trying to politicise a case that was sub-judice.

BJP spokesperson Sushma Swaraj told reporters that the party was launching a country-wide agitation against the "assault and insult to our religion".

The party, led by its president LK Advani, will launch a nationwide dharna and relay fast from tomorrow. Senior party leaders Murli Manohar Joshi and Jaswant Singh are also expected to join in the agitation.

In Chennai, the drama over the custody hearing was played out in a packed court house. Defence counsel YT Thyagarajan cited the 1978 Supreme Court order in the Nandini Sathpathy case, which had laid down guidelines for police custody.

He wanted a safeguard against "harassment and psychological pressure" if the seer was remanded to police custody. The presence of a lawyer at the time of custody was a "constitutional claim", he argued. He also said the accused had a right, in the event of being remanded to police custody, to remain silent.

After hearing both sides, the magistrate allowed an advocate of the seer's choice to meet him every day between 6 and 7 pm in police custody, and a government doctor to examine him.