News 24 Bureau
Puttaparthi: Diamond and gold worth huge sum was found from the abode of Sri Sathya Sai Baba when Yajur Mandir was opened by the Sathya Sai Central Trust here. Sources say that details of the assets would be revealed today (Friday). They said that crores worth valuables and gold jewellery was stored inside the mandir. It is also said that several documents and papers on the valuables inside the mandir were being perused by the SBI authorities.
The mandir was closed in March ever since Baba was admitted to the super speciality hospital with serious health problems and remained locked up till Thursday morning. Around 9.00 am, senior Trust members SV Giri, V Srinivasan along with Rathnakar, secretary K Chakravarthi and Baba`s caregiver Satyajit entered the mandir. They were closeted inside for a long time. Later SBI manager and some staff went inside along with a counting machine. Sources said lockers were also opened inside the mandir.
Ex-CJI P N Bhagawati along with former High Court judge Vaidyanathan and ex-Supreme Court judge A P Misra were also present when the inventory was being done in the mandir. Surprisingly, the district collector, SP or revenue officials were not present at the time of inventory.
The trustees, Justice PN Bhagwati, Mr RJ Ratnakar, Mr SV Giri, Mr V. Srinivasan and the Baba’s personal assistant, Mr Satyajith, gathered at the Yajur Mandir which has been locked since Baba was hospitalised on March 28. Half-an-hour later, the State Bank of India manager, Mr Shashi Kumar, arrived and handed over the keys of the chamber to Mr Giri.They offered prayers before opening the Yajur Mandir and sought Mr Satyajith’s assistance to identify the many valuable items found in the chamber.
The trustees who are counting Satya Sai Baba’s treasure reportedly videographed huge heaps of cash, gold and diamonds that were piled up in the chamber. It is learnt that 15 students of the Satya Sai Educational Institute were drafted in to count the treasure trove, together with bank personnel who arrived with currency counting machines.
There were demands from the public and from several political parties that government officials should be present when the chamber was opened, but the trustees did not agree.