The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Thursday issued notice to the Tamil Nadu government seeking an explanation on the manner of the arrest of junior pontiff, Shankaracharya Vijayendra Saraswathi.

The NHRC also sought a response on the "selective leakage" to television channels of parts of the police interrogation of Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi of the Kanchipuram mutt that were screened Wednesday.

The rights panel has asked state chief secretary and director general of police to furnish a report in two weeks.

In a statement, the NHRC said media reports pointed out that Vijayendra Saraswathi was arrested within hours of the Supreme Court directing the release on bail of the senior Shankaracharya.

"The junior Shankaracharya, who was offering (prayers), was told he was being taken into custody by the police force which entered the mutt, a place of worship, without any permission," the statement said.

The NHRC also referred to reports that the devotees of the Kanchi mutt felt the absence of both Shankaracharyas would affect the centuries-old tradition of daily prayers and hurt their sentiments.

The commission said the telecast of video excerpts of the alleged interrogation of Jayendra Saraswathi "selectively leaked" by the police through some TV channels raised an issue about the rights of a person facing investigation to a fair trial -- a constitutional imperative.

"The commission calls upon the chief secretary and director general of police, Tamil Nadu, to furnish a factual report on the media reports referred to and the selective leakage of excerpts of police interrogation as telecast by some TV channels," the NHRC said.

The senior pontiff was arrested Nov 11 for alleged involvement in the murder of temple official A. Sankararaman. Barely a day after Jayendra Saraswathi walked out of prison Tuesday, a sensation was created as some television channels aired the videotaped interrogation of the pontiff while in police custody.