DINDIGUL
Dindigul Principal District and Sessions Court Judge K. Murali Sankar on Tuesday adjourned the temple pujari suicide case till November 6 for further hearing as the court was waiting for the reply from the Collector on the resignation of Special Public Prosecutor B. Mohan and the appointment of a new Public Prosecutor to conduct the case further.
The prime accused, O. Raja, brother of former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, did not appear before the court in the morning. The court accepted a petition submitted on behalf of Mr. Raja by defence counsel M. Kannappan, giving reasons for his absence.
Mr. Kannappan said he could not proceed further as the Collector had not replied to the court in connection with the resignation of the SPP and the appointment of a new PP.
Twenty one witnesses have been examined so far, and six of them turned hostile.
The case pertains to the suicide of S. Nagamuthu (22) of T. Kallupatti village, a Dalit, who worked as pujari at Sri Kailasanathar Hill Temple in Periyakulam on December 8, 2012, after he was allegedly subjected to harassment.