Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Saturday spoke to Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and expressed concern for the "security and safety" of Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi, who was arrested in connection with a murder case on Friday.

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Vajpayee spoke to Patil early in the morning, of BJP office-bearer said.

The BJP has expressed shock over the pontiff's arrest and questioned the step and the "haste" with which it was taken.