Source

DELHI, INDIA, November 15, 2004: This report in the Times Online from UK states, in part:



A revered Hindu cleric is being held by police in southern India in connection with the brutal murder of a former employee who had apparently threatened to expose alleged financial irregularities in a temple. Jayendra Saraswati is accused of masterminding an attack in which five knife-wielding youths killed Thiru Sankararaman, 52, in September.



Mr. Sankararaman had been a fierce critic of the cleric and despite a long family connection with the temple had left his position several years ago while continuing publicly to raise misgivings. In the attack Mr. Sankararaman was stabbed several times in the precincts of another temple in the holy city of Kanchipuram, where he had taken up a new job. At least 14 people have been arrested over the attack, but the Shankaracharya is “Accused Number One,” accused of paying assassins to dispose of his Sankararaman.



According to police, a letter dated August this year was found in the dead man’s possession and it showed that he was threatening to go public over concerns about the use of trust funds.



Other evidence police claim to have in their possession includes telephone records showing calls between the alleged assailants and a mobile telephone in Shankaracharya’s name. A total of one million rupees (US$22,727) withdrawn from the temple accounts the day after the murder was claimed to have been found on the alleged assailants.

Post Views: 585