The Special Investigation Team probing the Sankararaman murder case on Tuesday night arrested the accountant of the Kanchi mutt, Viswanathan, on charges of cheating.
Viswanathan was interrogated for about two hours in the evening and allowed to leave at 2100 IST. However, he was arrested an hour later.
The mutt lawyer, A Shanmugham, said he was surprised at the development because the mutt had not filed any complaint of cheating with the police.
"The investigation officer himself seems to have preferred such a charge," he said.
STF officials were not available for comment.