Appalled at the court’s verdict in his father’s murder case, the deceased Sankararaman’s son, Ananda Sharma, said the guilty will not be spared in God’s court.
“He did not die normally. Deep injuries were inflicted on his body. Those who killed him will not be spared in God’s court,” a shocked Sharma said in Kancheepuram.
Sharma, his mother Padma and sister Uma Maitreyi, were not present in the court, when the judgement was delivered by the Puducherry chief judge C S Murugan. Sharma said the family was still undecided on whether to file an appeal in the case.
K M Subramaniam, one of the defence counsels, said the prosecution had failed to prove the conspiracy charges and the witnesses, including victim’s family members, failed to identify the accused.
Lakshmana Reddiar, another defence counsel, said there were enough evidence materials to prove the involvement of the Kanchi Mutt Sankaracharyas in the case.
Meanwhile, the accused, who erupted in joy to celebrate inside the court, were restrained by the close associates of the Sankaracharyas.
Approver, Ravi Subramainian, who turned hostile, broke down after hearing the verdict.
Both the seers, who were surrounded by the followers of the Mutt, came out and entered their respective vehicles and left the court premises, rejecting reporters’ request for their comments on the verdict. Earlier, the lawyers objected to the seers’ supporters, who tried to break coconut in front of the court building.
Meanwhile, a report from Thoothukudi said Jayendra Saraswathi reached Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt in Tiruchendur hours after the verdict was pronounced. The Sankaracharya took a private jet and landed at Thoothukudi in the afternoon. At the mutt, he was welcomed with ‘purnakumbam’.