With the defence counsels having completed their arguments, Principal District and Sessions Judge C S Murugan, on Friday, posted the hearing in the Sankararaman murder to January 18.
When the proceedings began in the trial court on Friday, defence lawyer Prakash continued his arguments. Special Public Prosecutor N Devadoss would file his reply on January 18.
Of the 24 accused, 16, including junior Kanchi seer Vijayendra Saraswati, Raghu, Kathiravan and Appu were present in the court. Jayendra Saraswati was not present. Approver Ravi Subramanium was also present in the court.
Sankararaman, a former employee of Varadarajaperumal temple in Kancheepuram was allegedly murdered inside the temple precincts on September 3, 2004. A total of 189 prosecution witnesses were examined during the trial, of which 83 turned hostile.
The trial was shifted from Kancheepuram to Puducherry on the order of the Supreme Court, issued on a petition filed by Jayendra Saraswati in October 2005. Kanchi acharyas Jayendra Saraswathi and his junior Vijayendra Saraswati are the prime accused in the case.