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Vijayendra Saraswati arrested,
Kanchi mutt left rudderless 

What is India News Service, Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 2000 hrs IST

The Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham was left headless on Monday after a dramatic turn of events saw the junior acharya Vijayendra Saraswathi being arrested in the Sankararaman murder case, hours after the Supreme Court ordered the release on bail of Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi. 

The Supreme Court ordered that Jayendra Saraswathi, arrested on November 11, be released on bail on the condition that he does not enter the Mutt till the police files the chargesheet in the Sankararaman case. He was also told to surrender his passport. 

Hours later, the SIT team led by Kancheepuram SP K Premkumar entered the Mutt and arrested junior acharya Vijayendra Saraswathi. 

Vijayendra Saraswathi has been remanded to judicial custody for 15 days and taken to Chennai Central prison. Like his senior, he too has been charged under IPC sections on murder, conspiracy and acting with common intention. 

When Kancheepuram magistrate Uthamaraj asked him whether he accepted the charges, Vijayendra said he was innocent. The prosecution did not seek his police custody. 

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister\92s Office tonight disclosed that the PM had written a letter four days ago to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa expressing his apprehension over the \91\91consequences\92\92 of the possible arrest of Vijayendra Saraswathi and disruption it may cause to the \91\91centuries-old tradition\92\92 of daily poojas.

Assault on religious institution, says Sushma: Describing the arrest of Vijayendra Saraswati as an 'assault' on a religious institution, senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday demanded that the Centre issue a direction to the Tamil Nadu government to act according to the Constitution.

"Manmohan cautioned Jayalalithaa": The Prime Minister's Office disclosed this evening that Manmohan Singh on January 6 wrote to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa that the Centre had information that the State Government was planning to arrest the junior.

Centre for special courts for SC, ST cases: Concerned over delay in justice in cases of atrocity against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the Centre on Tuesday favoured a "comprehensive law" and setting up of exclusive special courts in districts.

SC not to intervene in BCCI election issue: In a major boost to newly elected Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Ranbir Singh Mahendra, whose election had come under a cloud due to various litigations, the Supreme Court today refused to intervene in the matter and allowed the board to conclude its adjourned Annual General Meeting (AGM) on the issue.

Dada Saheb Phalke Award for Mrinal Sen: Noted filmmaker Mrinal Sen will be the recipient of the Dada Saheb Phalke Award for 2003 for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema, it was announced today. President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam would present the award to the director at the 51st National Film Awards function here on February 2.

'Frame charges against Soren': The District and Sessions Judge of Giridih, Manoranjan Kavi, directed the framing of charges against the Coal Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief, Sibu Soren, in the 1974 Kurko massacre case.

Fake encounters: HC stays sentence against Major: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday restrained the Army from confirming the sentence awarded to Major Surinder Singh, who was found guilty by the General Court Martial (GCM) for faking encounters with the enemy in the Siachen Glacier.

Court orders probe into veracity of Zahira's statements: The Supreme Court today asked its Registrar-General to conduct a probe on whether the statement of the key witness in the Best Bakery case that she had not filed any affidavit in the case.

Tsunami
 
There is a catch in tsunami aid: The billions of dollars promised by world leaders after Asia's devastating tsunamis may seem like unparalleled generosity but recipient countries should beware there is also fine print.


Man from Teressa is Andaman\92s \91Father Teresa\92: A wireless operator, who saved thousands of lives on the Black Sunday with what he calls his personal early warning system in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has earned the sobriquet of Father Teresa.

Tsunami warning system: A UN conference on small islands opened in Mauritius on Monday with a call to set up an early warning system in the wake of the tsunami disaster in Asia that left more than 156,000 dead.


States

Curfew relaxed in Jawaharnagar area in Rajasthan:  Curfew was relaxed for two hours Tuesday morning in Jawaharnagar area of Rajasthan's Srigangangar district and no untoward incident was reported, a senior official said. Yesterday's report: Violence follows murder of trader