Thaindian News

Puttaparthi (Andhra Pradesh), June 25 (IANS) Police in this pilgrim town in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district Saturday questioned Sathya Sai Central Trust member R.J. Ratnakar for over five hours over a huge amount of cash seized last week.

As police intensified the probe into cash seizure, traders in the bustling pilgrim town Saturday observed a shutdown to protest suspected irregularities committed by the trust members and demanded the government take over the trust.

Police officers probing the case quizzed Ratnakar, who is also nephew of late Sathya Sai Baba, to trace the source of Rs.35.5 lakh seized from a car allegedly belonging to the trust.

Police sources said the officers asked Ratnakar to make himself available to answer further queries, if required. The trust member refused to speak to media persons.

This is the first time in the trust’s history that a trust member has been questioned by police.

Another member V. Srinivasan is likely to appear before police Monday.

The two were issued notices by police Wednesday after three people, arrested with Rs.35.5 lakh on June 19, revealed they were transporting the cash from Puttaparthi to Bangalore on the instruction of the trust members.

Shops and business establishments were voluntarily closed in the town as dozens of traders, holding placards and shouting slogans, took out a rally, demanding the state government take over the Sathya Sai Central Trust in view of the serious charges of financial misappropriation against its members.

Anger is sweeping the business community in the town over the reported acts of omission and commission by the trust.

Worried over the impact the controversies may have on their business, traders are demanding that the government take over the trust, which manages the vast empire of the late Sai Baba who had millions of followers all over the world.

The devotees, including the business community in Puttaparthi, want an administrative body on the lines of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) to run the empire.

Taking a serious note of the goings-on, the state government June 22 sought a detailed report from the trust on its activities, its future programmes, assets and financial matters.

The government is also considering withdrawal of several exemptions enjoyed by the trust under the Endowment Act for last 35 years.

The trust, which runs educational and healthcare facilities in Puttaparthi, other parts of Anantapur, Bangalore and schools in various countries, has been facing series of allegations after the demise of Sathya Sai Baba April 24.