Income-Tax additional director Murali Mohan filed a petition in the Hindupur munsif magistrate court on Friday, seeking handing over of the cash seized by police from a vehicle of the Satya Sai Central Trust. Police had seized Rs 35 lakh being transported in the vehicle of the trust at Kodikonda checkpost under Chilamathur police station limits bordering Karnataka on June 18. Police arrested three persons in this connection.
Satya Sai Central Trust members announced that the amount was donated by some persons for construction of Satya Sai Baba Maha Samadhi. Police and Income- Tax officials questioned trust members and the accused several times on the issue.
Local senior I-T official Sivanandam submitted a detailed report to higher officials on the issue. Based on the report, the I-T official filed a petition in the court, seeking handing over of the cash. Meanwhile, a petition was filed on behalf of Sankaranarayana Consultancy Services of Bengaluru in the court four days ago that the cash was seized by police when it was sent to purchase material necessary for construction of the Maha Samadhi. The firm sought handing over of the cash to it. However, I-T officials reportedly issued a notice under Section 132/1961 to the firm and questioned them. As no cogent reply was received from the firm, Mr Murali Mohan sought handing over of the cash. He has also reportedly attached some documents to the petition showing cash similarly seized in Kadiri previously as handed over to the I-T department.
