Three get bail in Sathya Sai cash case
June 24th, 2011 - 11:06 pm ICT by IANSHyderabad, June 24 (IANS) A court in Andhra Pradesh Friday granted bail to three people arrested with huge unaccounted money reportedly belonging to the ashram of late Sathya Sai Baba.
A magistrate in Hindupur town of Anantapur district granted bail to Harishnanda Shetty, Chandrasekhar Murthy and Sohan Shetty but laid down the condition that they appear before police everyday.
The Income Tax department also approached the court seeking permission to record the statements of the trio in connection with the Rs.35.5 lakh seized by the police June 19. The court adjourned hearing to Monday.
The cash was intercepted near Hindupur while being transported from Sai Baba’s ashram in Puttaparthi to Bangalore by Harishnana Shetty in a car. Police later arrested two others.
Meanwhile, intensifying their probe into the case, police sought details from Sathya Sai Central Trust about vehicles which entered and moved out of Prashanti Nilayam ashram since the opening of Yajur Mandir, the residential quarter of Sai Baba June 17.
The police asked trust secretary Chakravarthi to provide all the details as the vehicle seized by them is suspected to have made several trips to Bangalore.
The police have already issued notices to trust members R.J. Ratnakar and V. Srinivasan, asking them to appear before investigating officers.
The police is likely to question Ratnakar Saturday, while Srinivasan has sought more time.
The arrested people reportedly told the police that it was on the direction of the two trust members that they were transporting the money to Bangalore.
In another related development, Sai Baba’s personal caregiver Satyajit declined to comment on the allegations against the trust.
Satyajit denied allegations that he neglected Baba’s health, which finally led to his death.
“I don’t mind. I served him with a clear conscience and I am satisfied,” he said when asked to comment on allegations against him.
This was the first time after Sai Baba’s death April 24 that Satyajit has responded to the allegations made by a section of Baba’s devotees and relatives.
- Police question security officer of Sai Baba's ashram (Lead) - Jun 21, 2011
- Police summons two members of Sathya Sai trust - Jun 22, 2011
- Man held with Sathya Sai trust cash sent to custody - Jun 20, 2011
- Police seize Rs.35 lakh from Sai trust's car - Jun 19, 2011
- Seized cash not ours: Sai trust (Lead) - Jun 20, 2011
- Sathya Sai trustee seeks time for police questioning - Jun 23, 2011
- Sathya Sai Trust issued notice, cops grill another member - Jun 27, 2011
- Sathya Sai Baba's personal chamber opened - Jun 16, 2011
- 98 kg gold, Rs.12 crore cash found in Sathya Sai's chamber (Lead) - Jun 17, 2011
- 98 kg gold, Rs.12 crore cash found in Sathya Sai Baba's chamber - Jun 17, 2011
- Sathya Sai trust yet to submit report to government - Jul 05, 2011
- Money was devotees' - to build Sai samadhi (Lead) - Jun 28, 2011
- Trust decides to open Sathya Sai Baba's personal chamber - Jun 14, 2011
- Andhra seeks report from Sathya Sai trust - Jun 23, 2011
- Sai Baba's death leaves question mark on Rs.40,000 crore empire - Apr 24, 2011
Tags: allegations, andhra pradesh, ashram, central trust, clear conscience, Health Science, income tax department, june 24, lakh, magistrate, money, murthy, puttaparthi, related development, residential quarter, sai baba, satyajit, sohan, srinivasan, yajur