Three get bail in Sathya Sai cash case

HYDERABAD: 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 are 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.