Seer complains of mental torture

Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati, under arrest in connection with the Shankararaman murder case, has complained of "mental and psychological torture" in police custody and has denied making any confessional statement.

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"Though I was not physically tortured, I was mentally and psychologically tortured in police custody. The police officials induced me to speak over mobile to several persons, which I declined with folded hands," he was quoted as saying by a five-member delegation of National Democratic Alliance members of Parliament, which called on him at the Vellore Central Prison on Wednesday afternoon.

The delegation comprising Balbir Punj, Rasa Singh Rawat, Jayaben Thakkar (all Bharatiya Janata Party), Chandrakant Khare (Shiv Sena), and B J Panda (the Biju Janata Dal), told reporters that the Shankaracharya described reports that he had made a confessional statement as a "total lie."

Punj, who led the team, said the seer is in good health. "Let the god give wisdom to all. Let the truth come out,"
Punj quoted the seer as saying.

The BJP member of Parliament alleged that the police have unleashed a "reign of terror" in Kanchipuram. "In the Sankara Mutt at Kanchipuram and in that town [Kanchipuram], people are terrified and unable to speak as there is an atmosphere of fear," Punj said.

He said the cases against the seer should be transferred to some other state to ensure a free and fair trial.

During their visit to Kanchipuram, the team called on the Shankaracharya's deputy, Vijayendra Saraswati, too.

The junior pontiff told them that normalcy will return to the mutt and the town as soon as Jayendra Saraswati returns to take over the administration of the mutt, Punj said.

The team will submit a report of its to the NDA leadership.