Reveal financial dealings: AP govt to Sai Trust

There seems to be no respite for the Sathya Sai Central Trust. The Andhra Pradesh on Monday issued a notice to the trust and its members seeing details of all financial transaction. The notice stated that the trustees should provide accounts of the financial transactions for the past five years in the next ten days.

The government tnotice comes in the backdrop of the questioning of two high-profile trustees Ratnakar and Srinivasan in connection with the Rs 35.5 lakh seized at Kodikonda checkpost at Hindupur on June 18.

The marathon questioning of Srinivasan concluded just a while ago. He however refused to divulge any details. Police sources said that Srinivasan's statement matched that of Ratnakar.

Ratnakar during his questioning made it clear that the money did not belong to the Sathya Sai Central Trust. He also told the police that the money was collected by devotees and they were handing it over to a builder, who was constructing the samadhi for Sathya Baba at the Sai Kulwant Hall.

Further, he also substantiated his claims by stating that an application had already been filed before the Hindupur court by the devotees claiming the money that was seized by the police.

The police were grilling Srinivasan since Shekar, the driver of the car from which the money was seized, said that it was on Srnivasan's advise that the money was being transported. 

Shekhar after his arrest had told the police that he was asked to take the car to Yajur Mandir, Sai Baba's residence, and park it with the boot open. Later, a bag full of cash was loaded into the car and then handed over to another man from Bengaluru.

K Krishna, Penugonda deputy superintendent of police, confirmed that the money was being taken out of Puttaparthi, but did not specify whether it was from Yajur Mandir.

Sai Baba's residence was opened a month after his death and the trustees found Rs 11.5 crore in cash, gold and silver articles two days before the cash was seized. The items from Yajur Mandir were later handed over to the bank    in the presence Income Tax department officials.