HYDERABAD/PUTTAPARTHI: Investigators probing the seizure of Rs 35 lakh in Puttaparthi will approach the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking a search warrant to check the Yajurveda Mandir, the late Sathya Sai Baba’s personal chamber, if contradictions emerge in the statements of Sathya Sai Central Trust members RJ Ratnakar and V Srinivasan as also the rest whose statements have been recorded.Though notices were served on Srinivasan and Ratnakar on Wednesday, the duo sought time of at least three, four days to give their statements, citing personal reasons. With the police pressing ahead with the investigation and the State government also seeking a report from them, the Sathya Sai Central Trust members have decided to meet Friday to chalk out their future course of action.Government sources told Express that Ratnakar and Srinivasan spoke to senior officials. While Srinivasan asked for time on the ground that his daughter-in-law had passed away recently, Ratnakar is understood to have cited health reasons.Their statements hold the key to the entire investigation.Thereafter, all the statements would be compared.‘’If we find any contradictions, we will approach the court for a search warrant of the Yajurveda mandir based on the evidence (statements).Even otherwise, the mandir has to be searched as part of the investigation,’’ sources associated with the probe said. The sleuths claim to have information about huge quantities of cash, diamonds and gold concealed in the Yajurveda mandir and believe the inventory made by the Sai Trust is just the tip of the iceberg.Sources said the investigators might also register a case of misappropriation of funds, depending on the statements of Ratnakar and Srinivasan. But the police are treading cautiously as, so far, they have found nothing concrete to confirm the “seized cash” as a case of theft. The first query in the questionnaire for Ratnakar and Srinivasan reads: ‘’Whether there was a theft in Yajurveda mandir?’’ Among the other questions, both will be asked, are reasons for the cash being transported, why there was a need, all of a sudden, for transporting cash in vehicles and why, in case they had to make any payments, did they not pay by cheques. Sources said during the last several years, the government had never interfered in the affairs of the trust and in fact, doled out heavy exemptions.“Normally, the government has powers to appoint trustees from its side in any trust which can comprise even IAS officers with fixed tenures. The trust has been given heavy exemptions under the Hindu Charity and Charitable Act and similar other Acts. Due to these reasons and the fact that all visitors to Prashanti Nilayam are top guns, the government never bothered to poke its nose into the affairs of the trust. Now that it is required to do so, it is unable to do anything,’’ sources said adding that the government has no locus standi in the matter pertaining to the trust.Earlier, speaking to mediapersons, Ratnakar said the trust will discuss the request of the government for a report and after taking legal opinion, will decide on giving the same.
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