Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Jun 22: Trustee of Satya Sai Baba Ashram in Puttaparti, V Sriniasan, and security officer, Pradhan, were arrested by a special team of policemen belonging to Anantapur and Hindupur police stations on Tuesday June 21 afternoon. These arrests were made relating to transportation of huge sums of money from Sri Satya Sai Baba Ashram in Puttaparti.
They were arrested on the basis of information provided by Harish Anand Shetty, Chandrashekhar, driver of the trustee, V Srinivasan, and K Sohan Shetty, who were arrested while transporting huge sums of cash through a Volvo bus and a Qualis vehicle, during their questioning.
The fact that those arrested while transporting the Ashram money are Mangalore-based, has given rise to speculation that the money in question was actually meant to be shifted to coastal districts of Karnataka. Harish Shetty, caught carrying Rs 36 lac in a Qualis car in Anantapur district, and Sohan Shetty, who was travelling in a Volvo bus, and found to be in possession of Rs 10 crore cash, are brothers. Harish Shetty is employed with a construction firm in Bangalore. Sohan and Chandrashekhar were arrested on the basis of information provided by Harish during his questioning. They are sons of retired senior police officer from the district, Umanath Shetty. The other man, Chandrashekhar, happens to be the driver of trustee, V Srinivasan. Interestingly, it has come to be known that the Volvo bus, in which two gunny bags containing currency notes amounting to Rs 10 crore were found, was bound for Mangalore, and not Bangalore as reported earlier. These facts have made people speculate that the money is linked to Satyajit, who has Mangalore links, and who was the closest confidante of Sai Baba during Baba’s last days.
Reportedly, the policemen have obtained oral permission to arrest some of the trustees of the Ashram, and to take into custody some more for questioning, if the need for the same arises. In all likelihood, J Ratnakar, a relative of the Baba, whose involvement with this incident is alleged, will also be among those who will be summoned for questioning.
It is learnt that the policemen are under immense pressure from influential quarters to hush up the matter. It is almost certain that big fish are involved in these transactions. One among the persons who called up the policemen is said to be a union minister.
In the meanwhile, apprehending trouble, J Ratnakar has contacted prominent devotees of the Ashram, and sought their help to oppose any action against him. It is said that he has asked them to launch a fight against the government, accusing it of trying to take over the Ashram by blaming its trustees of illegally transporting money. He wants the devotees to pressurize the government to leave all the matters concerning the Ashram to the Trust and its devotees, and not to interfere in the Ashram administration. The devotees were also impressed upon to ask the government not to give rise to complications and misunderstandings at a time when the memorial of Satya Sai Baba is being built.
However, it is gathered that a huge majority of the devotees approached by Ratnakar have refused to take up cudgels on his behalf.
In the meanwhile, the three arrested men were remanded to judicial custody till June 27.