Kanchi seers acquitted in Sankararaman murder

Chennai: A Puducherry court Wednesday acquitted all the 24 accused in the high-profile Sankararaman murder case in which two seers of Kanchipuram Sankara Mutt Jayendra Saraswathi and Vijayendra Saraswathi are the prime accused.

The judgment was delivered by Puducherry Principal District and Sessions Judge C.S. Murugan in the trial that spread over nine years. Speaking to reporters, counsel for the two seers said the conspiracy charge against the seers has not been proved. A.Sankararaman, who worked as a manager in the Varadarajaperumal temple in Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, was murdered inside his office in the temple Sep 3, 2004.

The two seers of Sankara Mutt in Kanchipuram - Jayendra Saraswathi and Vijayendra Saraswathi - were cited as accused number one and two. There were 22 other accused, including manager of Sankara Mutt N. Sundaresan, and M.K. Raghu, brother of Jayendra Saraswathi. All the 24 were charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for criminal conspiracy, abetment to the crime and other crimes.  One of the accused, M. Kathiravan was murdered in March this year here.

The case trial was shifted to Puducherry from a Chengalpet court near here on the petition from Jayendra Saraswathi, the senior seer, after he complained that the atmosphere in Tamil Nadu was not right for a free and fair trial. The Supreme Court had allowed the trial to be shifted to Puducherry in 2005.

The apex court also directed the Puducherry government to appoint its own public prosecutor on a petition from Jayendra Saraswathi. For the trial 189 witnesses were examined between 2009 and 2012. Interestingly, 83 of them turned hostile. Even the approver, Ravi Subramaniam, turned hostile and denied his earlier statements to police. 
The prosecution also examined Padma, wife of Sankararaman, and their son Anand Sharma as witnesses.

Kanchi seers acquitted in Sankararaman murder

Chennai: A Puducherry court Wednesday acquitted all the 24 accused in the high-profile Sankararaman murder case in which two seers of Kanchipuram Sankara Mutt Jayendra Saraswathi and Vijayendra Saraswathi are the prime accused.

The judgment was delivered by Puducherry Principal District and Sessions Judge C.S. Murugan in the trial that spread over nine years. Speaking to reporters, counsel for the two seers said the conspiracy charge against the seers has not been proved. A.Sankararaman, who worked as a manager in the Varadarajaperumal temple in Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, was murdered inside his office in the temple Sep 3, 2004.

The two seers of Sankara Mutt in Kanchipuram - Jayendra Saraswathi and Vijayendra Saraswathi - were cited as accused number one and two. There were 22 other accused, including manager of Sankara Mutt N. Sundaresan, and M.K. Raghu, brother of Jayendra Saraswathi. All the 24 were charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for criminal conspiracy, abetment to the crime and other crimes.  One of the accused, M. Kathiravan was murdered in March this year here.

The case trial was shifted to Puducherry from a Chengalpet court near here on the petition from Jayendra Saraswathi, the senior seer, after he complained that the atmosphere in Tamil Nadu was not right for a free and fair trial. The Supreme Court had allowed the trial to be shifted to Puducherry in 2005.

The apex court also directed the Puducherry government to appoint its own public prosecutor on a petition from Jayendra Saraswathi. For the trial 189 witnesses were examined between 2009 and 2012. Interestingly, 83 of them turned hostile. Even the approver, Ravi Subramaniam, turned hostile and denied his earlier statements to police. 
The prosecution also examined Padma, wife of Sankararaman, and their son Anand Sharma as witnesses.

Tehelka case: Goa police issue summons to Tarun Tejpal

Panaji: The Goa police today issued summons to Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal, accused of sexually assaulting his junior colleague. A senior police official confirmed that Tejpal has been issued summons to remain present before the investigating officer. He, however, refused to mention whether the accused has been given any date or time to present himself before the investigating authority. The Goa crime branch is investigating the complaint against Tejpal by a woman journalist. 

The police official also said the victim will be called to record her statement before a magistrate. "She has been fully cooperating with the police and her statement is very crucial for the case," the official said.  Investigating officer Sunita Sawant has already met the victim in Mumbai and recorded her statement yesterday. 

The Goa police had on November 22 lodged an FIR against Tejpal under IPC sections 376 (rape), 376 (2)(k) (rape by a person of a woman in his custody taking advantage of his official position) and 354 (outraging modesty) in connection with the incident.  The police had yesterday issued an "immigration check post alert" against Tejpal so that he cannot leave the country.

Tehelka case: Goa police issue summons to Tarun Tejpal

Panaji: The Goa police today issued summons to Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal, accused of sexually assaulting his junior colleague. A senior police official confirmed that Tejpal has been issued summons to remain present before the investigating officer. He, however, refused to mention whether the accused has been given any date or time to present himself before the investigating authority. The Goa crime branch is investigating the complaint against Tejpal by a woman journalist. 

The police official also said the victim will be called to record her statement before a magistrate. "She has been fully cooperating with the police and her statement is very crucial for the case," the official said.  Investigating officer Sunita Sawant has already met the victim in Mumbai and recorded her statement yesterday. 

The Goa police had on November 22 lodged an FIR against Tejpal under IPC sections 376 (rape), 376 (2)(k) (rape by a person of a woman in his custody taking advantage of his official position) and 354 (outraging modesty) in connection with the incident.  The police had yesterday issued an "immigration check post alert" against Tejpal so that he cannot leave the country.

Sip red wine for healthy heart, brain

New Delhi: Drinking red wine can help protect the heart, and it may boost brain power too. 
According to beauty magnate Liz Earle, creator of Liz Earle Beauty company, drinking red wine in moderation may prevent blood clots and strokes, and hence keep the heart healthy.

The drink can even help in warding off certain cancers including colon and prostate, reports contactmusic.com. A glass of red wine contains high amounts of antioxidants which not only help our cells fight against free radical damage, but also increase cholesterol levels in a positive way. It also contains procyanidins which help reduce blood pressure and protect against hardening of the arteries. Earle also said that red wine may boost brain power, especially for older women. 
But keep your intake to a glass or two, not a whole bottle!

Sip red wine for healthy heart, brain

New Delhi: Drinking red wine can help protect the heart, and it may boost brain power too. 
According to beauty magnate Liz Earle, creator of Liz Earle Beauty company, drinking red wine in moderation may prevent blood clots and strokes, and hence keep the heart healthy.

The drink can even help in warding off certain cancers including colon and prostate, reports contactmusic.com. A glass of red wine contains high amounts of antioxidants which not only help our cells fight against free radical damage, but also increase cholesterol levels in a positive way. It also contains procyanidins which help reduce blood pressure and protect against hardening of the arteries. Earle also said that red wine may boost brain power, especially for older women. 
But keep your intake to a glass or two, not a whole bottle!

HC refuses to grant Tejpal interim protection from arrest

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today refused to grant interim protection against arrest to Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal, who has been accused of sexually assaulting his junior colleague on November 7 and 8 at a hotel in Goa.

Justice Sunita Gupta also asked the counsel for the Goa police to file its reply, if any, and fixed the hearing of Tejpal's anticipatory bail plea for hearing tomorrow. 
Meanwhile, the Delhi police also opposed the plea for grant of any transit bail to Tejpal who termed the FIR as politically motivated alleging that the Goa chief minister was taking undue interest in the matter.

'I am opposing the matter due to the seriousness of the allegations against the accused,' the counsel for the Goa police said, adding that he has not been supplied with the copy of the petition by the accused journalist. Senior advocate K T S Tulsi and Geeta Luthra, appearing for Tejpal, said that the Tehelka Editor be protected against any possible arrest till tomorrow when this court will recommence hearing on the bail application.

Refusing to grant interim protection, Justice Gupta said, 'I don't have even the copy of the FIR with the petition. Let them file the reply then I will see....' Tulsi submitted, 'This has become a political battle. I am entitled to interim protection as has been the practice in this court.

'At best, the case is of section 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman) of the IPC and it is the figment of imagination that it has become a case of section 376 (rape) of the IPC. Even the girl has not made any statement to the police.' 

At the start of the hearing, the counsel of the Goa police sought one week's time to respond to the petition of Tejpal and opposed the submission seeking grant of any interim protection against his arrest. Tejpal has moved the high court seeking either anticipatory bail or transit bail 'to enable him to approach the appropriate court for seeking the relief in accordance with the law'.

Terming one of the two incidents as 'only light hearted bantering', the petition said, 'The nature of the said meeting can be easily established by perusal of a CCTV footage of Hotel Hyatt, Goa, which is within the knowledge and reach of
the Goa police but the same has been blatantly ignored by the investigating agency.

'That on November 8, 2013 a further meeting took place between the two individuals but the same lasted for few seconds and contained no incident which could constitute commission of a cognisable offence.' Tejpal said that his woman colleague 'continued to party and was completely normal and friendly all throughout her stay in Goa'.

'She was at every party and social event through the conference and stayed out late in the night.' Terming the complaint of the victim as 'motivated, false and an afterthought', the petition said it was filed after a delay of 10 days. It also refuted the allegations.

'The Managing Editor (of the magazine), however, refused to even listen to the applicant's version and overrode him, telling him that she was making the decision in Tehelka's interest,' it said. The alleged incident happened in a lift in a five-star hotel in Goa. 

HC refuses to grant Tejpal interim protection from arrest

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today refused to grant interim protection against arrest to Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal, who has been accused of sexually assaulting his junior colleague on November 7 and 8 at a hotel in Goa.

Justice Sunita Gupta also asked the counsel for the Goa police to file its reply, if any, and fixed the hearing of Tejpal's anticipatory bail plea for hearing tomorrow. 
Meanwhile, the Delhi police also opposed the plea for grant of any transit bail to Tejpal who termed the FIR as politically motivated alleging that the Goa chief minister was taking undue interest in the matter.

'I am opposing the matter due to the seriousness of the allegations against the accused,' the counsel for the Goa police said, adding that he has not been supplied with the copy of the petition by the accused journalist. Senior advocate K T S Tulsi and Geeta Luthra, appearing for Tejpal, said that the Tehelka Editor be protected against any possible arrest till tomorrow when this court will recommence hearing on the bail application.

Refusing to grant interim protection, Justice Gupta said, 'I don't have even the copy of the FIR with the petition. Let them file the reply then I will see....' Tulsi submitted, 'This has become a political battle. I am entitled to interim protection as has been the practice in this court.

'At best, the case is of section 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman) of the IPC and it is the figment of imagination that it has become a case of section 376 (rape) of the IPC. Even the girl has not made any statement to the police.' 

At the start of the hearing, the counsel of the Goa police sought one week's time to respond to the petition of Tejpal and opposed the submission seeking grant of any interim protection against his arrest. Tejpal has moved the high court seeking either anticipatory bail or transit bail 'to enable him to approach the appropriate court for seeking the relief in accordance with the law'.

Terming one of the two incidents as 'only light hearted bantering', the petition said, 'The nature of the said meeting can be easily established by perusal of a CCTV footage of Hotel Hyatt, Goa, which is within the knowledge and reach of
the Goa police but the same has been blatantly ignored by the investigating agency.

'That on November 8, 2013 a further meeting took place between the two individuals but the same lasted for few seconds and contained no incident which could constitute commission of a cognisable offence.' Tejpal said that his woman colleague 'continued to party and was completely normal and friendly all throughout her stay in Goa'.

'She was at every party and social event through the conference and stayed out late in the night.' Terming the complaint of the victim as 'motivated, false and an afterthought', the petition said it was filed after a delay of 10 days. It also refuted the allegations.

'The Managing Editor (of the magazine), however, refused to even listen to the applicant's version and overrode him, telling him that she was making the decision in Tehelka's interest,' it said. The alleged incident happened in a lift in a five-star hotel in Goa. 

Woman journalist willing to record statement

PANAJI: The Tehelka journalist, who had accused its editor Tarun Tejpal of sexually assaulting her, has shown willingness to travel to Goa and record her statement before the authorities, a senior police official said on Tuesday.

The woman, who was contacted by investigating officer Sunita Sawant over phone on Monday, has shown willingness to cooperate, a senior official said on condition of anonymity. 'If the woman travels to Goa, her statement would be recorded before the magistrate under IPC section 164 (recording of confessions and statements),' the official said.

Although Goa Police are yet to meet the woman, who lives in Mumbai, the official said the first conversation between the investigating officer and her was very fruitful. 'She has narrated many things which are not mentioned even in the email. That could go against Tarun Tejpal,' a police official said.

The woman is ready to fully cooperate with the investigating agency, the official said. Goa deputy inspector general of police OP Mishra had told reporters in Panaji on Monday that the investigating officer in the case had contacted the woman but refused to divulge details, claiming police wanted to protect her privacy.

The woman told the investigating officer that she had delayed filing a case against Tejpal as 'he was a high-profile person.' The woman had also resigned from the magazine to be 'free from any kind of pressure.'

Goa Police will be contacting her again on Tuesday, seeking her statement before the magistrate. 'The details like when she will come can be known only after that,' the official said. Meanwhile, a senior police official rubbished reports that a lookout circular had been issued against Tejpal.

'How can we issue lookout circular against him when we have not even summoned him in the case?' he said. The police are proceeding systematically in the matter and would go ahead only after properly recording the statement of the woman which is very crucial before examining Tejpal, he said.

Goa Police had on November 22 lodged an FIR against Tejpal under IPC sections 376 (rape), 376 (2)(k) (rape by a person of a woman in his custody taking advantage of his official position) and 354 (outraging modesty) in connection with the incident.

Woman journalist willing to record statement

PANAJI: The Tehelka journalist, who had accused its editor Tarun Tejpal of sexually assaulting her, has shown willingness to travel to Goa and record her statement before the authorities, a senior police official said on Tuesday.

The woman, who was contacted by investigating officer Sunita Sawant over phone on Monday, has shown willingness to cooperate, a senior official said on condition of anonymity. 'If the woman travels to Goa, her statement would be recorded before the magistrate under IPC section 164 (recording of confessions and statements),' the official said.

Although Goa Police are yet to meet the woman, who lives in Mumbai, the official said the first conversation between the investigating officer and her was very fruitful. 'She has narrated many things which are not mentioned even in the email. That could go against Tarun Tejpal,' a police official said.

The woman is ready to fully cooperate with the investigating agency, the official said. Goa deputy inspector general of police OP Mishra had told reporters in Panaji on Monday that the investigating officer in the case had contacted the woman but refused to divulge details, claiming police wanted to protect her privacy.

The woman told the investigating officer that she had delayed filing a case against Tejpal as 'he was a high-profile person.' The woman had also resigned from the magazine to be 'free from any kind of pressure.'

Goa Police will be contacting her again on Tuesday, seeking her statement before the magistrate. 'The details like when she will come can be known only after that,' the official said. Meanwhile, a senior police official rubbished reports that a lookout circular had been issued against Tejpal.

'How can we issue lookout circular against him when we have not even summoned him in the case?' he said. The police are proceeding systematically in the matter and would go ahead only after properly recording the statement of the woman which is very crucial before examining Tejpal, he said.

Goa Police had on November 22 lodged an FIR against Tejpal under IPC sections 376 (rape), 376 (2)(k) (rape by a person of a woman in his custody taking advantage of his official position) and 354 (outraging modesty) in connection with the incident.