The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the hearing on a petition seeking bail for Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati.
The matter has been now posted for Friday.
However, in a surprising development, the Shankaracharya's counsel, M N Krishnamani, objected to the petition, filed by Yogendra Kumar Tiwari, describing it as mischievous.
"We have the necessary authorisation from the Kanchipuram Mutt as well as the thumb impression of Swami Jayendra Saraswati for filing appropriate petition before the Supreme Court, and none else can file such a petition," Krishnamani submitted before the court.
A Bench, comprising Chief Justice R C Lahoti, Justice G P Mathur and Justice P P Naolekar, asked Tiwari's counsel as to how he [Tiwari] could file the petition without the seer's authorisation.
The counsel sought time till Tuesday to get the necessary permission for filing the writ petition. The court then adjourned the hearing on the bail plea.
When Krishnamani produced the documents authorising him and advocate Krishna Kumar to appear on the seer's behalf for the court's perusal, the Bench asked him why the vakalatnama had the thumb impression of the Shankaracharya instead of his signature.
"According to the tradition of the Mutt, the Shankaracharya never signs a document. He instead puts his thumb impression wherever his signature is required," Krishnamani replied.
Later, talking to reporters, the counsel said the Shankaracharya will move the Supreme Court on Monday with a petition challenging a Madras high court order refusing bail to him in the Sankararaman murder case.