Puducherry, Nov 26: A Puducherry Sessions Court today deferred the hearing of the Sankararaman murder case to January 4, in which the Kanchi Sankaracharyas, Jayendra Saraswathi and his junior Vijayendra Saraswathi are the main accused.

Only 10 among the 24 accused were appeared before Principal District Sessions Judge D Krishnaraja. Those, who were absent, included Jayendra and Vijayendra.

Charges of murder have been filed against Jayendra, Vijayendra and 22 other accused.

The seer and the co-accused have also been framed with charges of criminal conspiracy, misleading the court by giving false information to protect the offenders and criminal trespass.

Sankararaman, Managing Trustee of the Lord Varadaraja Perumal temple at Kancheepuram, was murdered on September 3, 2004, allegedly at the behest of the accused. (ANI)