Headway in probe into cash seizure from Puttaparthi: Police

Anantapur (AP), June 26 (PTI) Police on Sunday claimed to
have made a headway in the probe into recent seizure of Rs
35.5 lakh from Puttaparthi in the district and said it will
quiz another Sathya Sai Central Trust member in the case.
"There is progress in investigation into the cash seizure
case. As part of the probe into the case police will question
Sathya Sai Central Trust member V Srinivasan tomorrow,"
Anantapur District Superintendent of Police Shah Nawaz Qasim
told reporters here, in South Indian state Andhra Pradesh.
"After questioning Srinivasan we will focus on other
things and will look to completing the investigation," the SP
said.
Anantapur police had arrested three persons in connection
with the seizure of Rs 35.5 lakh in cash. However, the trio
Harishnanda Shetty, Chandrashekhar Murthy alias Shekhar and
engineer Sohan Shetty were granted conditional bail last week.
Harishnanda Shetty was the driver of a four-wheeler
(which allegedly belongs to the Sathya Sai Central Trust) that
was transporting Rs 35.5 lakh which was confiscated during
checking at Kodikonda check post under Chilamanthur police
station limits bordering Karnataka on June 18.
As part of the probe into the cash seizure, police have
so far questioned Trust member R J Ratnakar, who is also
nephew of the late spiritual guru Sathya Sai Baba, besides
Pradhan, the Chief Security Officer of 'Yajur Mandir' -- the
private chamber of Sai Baba and one Venkatesh (a personal
assistant of Srinivasan).
Police were also in the process of questioning one more
person identified as Sadashiv (who is allegedly related to
Harishnanda) against whom they had already served a notice,
but he had sought some time to appear before the police.
The cash was recovered a day after 'Yajur Mandir' was
opened at Prashanti Nilayam in Puttaparthi and it was
disclosed that it contained 98 kg of gold, 307 kg of silver,
apart from Rs 11.56 crore.
Meanwhile, a voluntary organisation named AWAY
conducted an open debate on the developments in Puttaparthi.
The debate claimed that the devotees cannot tolerate
any irregularities taking place in Puttaparthi.