GSB Temples’ Association Demands Action on Raghavendra Thirtha in Sam Peter Extortion Case
Mangaluru: “It is shocking and painful to read the news appearing in many newspapers and news portals about the fake NCIB director Sam Peter and 7 others arrested in Mangaluru. During interrogation, Sam Peter has revealed that Raghavendra Thirtha alias Shivananda Pai and Ramachandra Nayak of Udupi had approached him for help to install Raghavendra Thirtha as Matadhipathi of Shree Kashi Math Samsthan, Varanasi by cohesion and threatening the reigning Matadhipathi of Shree Kashi Math Samsthan Srimad Samyameendra Thirtha Swamiji and followers of the Shree Kashi Math Samsthan. This is a shameful act which the GSB community condemns. We will meet the Police Commissioner Dr Harsha to take stringent action against Raghavendra Thirtha alias Shivananda Pai for his involvement with Sam Peter and his associates”, said the president of GSB Temples’ Association Jagannath Kamath in a press meet held at the Sri Venkataramana Temple Car Street here on August 29.
Addressing the mediapersons Jagannath said, “Shrimad Sudheendra Thirtha Swamiji had given sannyasa Deeksha in the year 1989 to one Shivananda Pai of Ernakulam who after acceptance of Sanyasa Deeksha came to be known as Raghavendra Thirtha. As part of the grooming process, through a circular dated April 4, 1994, certain duties were entrusted to him with effect from 12 December 1994 by the Matadhipathi of Sri Kashi Math Samsthan. In order to facilitate proper discharge of the said duties, the sacred deities, paraphernalia, insignia, articles and jewellery were also made available to him. However, once those duties were delegated and the deities, jewellery and other articles belonging to the Samsthan entrusted can be retained only by the Swamiji of the Samsthan acting on behalf of the Sansthan. The style of functioning of the Raghavendra Thirtha became one of flouting the concept of obedience required of him and also the custom, usage and traditions of Sri Kashi Math Samsthan. However, as he himself found it difficult to follow the customs and conventions of the Swamiji of the Samsthan acting on behalf of the Samsthan, he requested the Matadhipathi, His Holiness Sudheendra Thirtha Swamiji to relieve him of his duties on 4 November 1999. After waiting for a reasonable period to see whether the request was the result of any precipitated thought, ultimately finding that he is not mending his ways, Srimad Sudheendra Thirtha Swamiji relieved him from all duties and responsibilities entrusted to him by a circular dated 19 July 2000. Further, he was disinherited”.
Jagannath further said, “Once, he was relieved of his responsibilities and duties he was not expected or entitled to hold any of the sacred idols, paraphernalia, insignia, jewellery, assets and properties of the Samsthan which is held by the sanyasi of the Sansthan not in his personal name but only as the sanyasi and Swamiji of the Samsthan. In fact, when the request for return of the sacred idols, paraphernalia, insignia, jewellery, assets and properties of the Samsthan started coming, he entered into a conspiracy with some of his henchmen who are around him and advising, aiding, and promoting him. As motivated by the other accused on the basis of conspiracy, with a view to retain the sacred idols, paraphernalia, insignia, assets and properties of the Samsthan, suppressing all facts, on 23 August 2000 styling the aforesaid entrustment of articles by the Madathipathi as ‘abdication’ of Madathipathya by Shrimad Sudheendra Thirtha Swamiji, he filed a declaratory suit seeking for the position of the Madathipathi of Shri Kashi Math Samsthan Varanasi in O.S. No. 34/2000 on the file of III Additional District Judge, Tirupati. In the said suit, His Holiness Srimad Sudheendra Thirtha Swamiji raised a counterclaim in the form of permanent prohibitory injunction restraining him from interfering in any manner in the affairs of Shree Kashi Math Samsthan and its administration. Also a decree of mandatory injunction directing Raghavendra Thirtha to hand over all the deities and other articles entrusted by the Madathipathi within a time frame. Ultimately, after a prolonged trial, on 28 January 2009 his suit was dismissed with cost by the IV Addl District Judge, Tirupathi and the counterclaim raised by the Madathipathi was decreed directing him to return the sacred idols, paraphernalia, insignia, assets and properties of the Samsthan within a month from the date of judgment”.
Jagannath also said, “Raghavendra Thirtha miserably failed to get those orders suspended even by approaching the Apex Court, thereby he was duty-bound to return all the sacred idols, paraphernalia, insignia, jewellery, assets and properties of the Samsthan to the Matadhipathi. He kept it thereafter was in violation of the court orders. Finding that residing at Tirupati, he cannot sulk away from handing over the decretal items, he removed himself from Tirupathi, during which process, he carried all the sacred idols, paraphernalia, insignia, jewellery, assets and properties of the Samsthan which he was duty-bound by law to return to the Matadhipathi and settled at Dwaraka Kala Mandir, Puthukkalavattom, Elamakkara; a property purchased by him from the funds diverted and siphoned off from Sri Kashi Math Samsthan. Finding that the sacred idols, paraphernalia, insignia. Jewellery, assets and properties of the Samsthan were not returned by him in terms of the decree passed, the Matadhipathi instituted execution proceedings before the court which passed the decree and on the statement of Raghavendra Thirtha that he is residing at Dwaraka Kala Mandir, Elamakkara, the decree had to be transferred to the District Court, Ernakulam for execution”.
“After transfer of the decree, the decree-holder – Srimad Sudhindra Thirtha Swamiji filed E.P. No. 67/2011 before the District court, Ernakulam for execution. An application praying for an injunction restraining Raghavendra Thirtha from removing the sacred idols, paraphernalia, insignia, jewellery, assets and properties of the Sansthan, which he was ordered to return was filed and the court issued a notice thereon to be taken out by a special messenger. He evaded the service of notice. The court thereafter issued an injunction, he again did not appear in court. Though the Process Server was able to notice his presence at Dwaraka Kala Mandir, Puthukkalavattorn, Elamakkara, he was not permitted to serve the notice personally. Notice was served by affixture. On 14 March 2011, to which date the execution petition stood posted, he refrained from appearing in court either in person or through counsel. The Execution Court then passed an order of injunction restraining him from removing the sacred idols, paraphernalia, insignia, jewellery, assets and properties of the Sansthan out of the jurisdiction of the execution court on 14 March 2011. As already stated, the sacred idols, paraphernalia, insignia, jewellery, assets and properties of the Samsthan had been kept and retained by him, in company with his henchmen at Dwaraka Kala Mandir, Puthukkalavattom, Elamakkara. While the District Court ordered delivery through Amin, it also appointed an advocate commissioner along with the court, Amin went to the premises of Dwaraka Kala Mandir, Puthukkalavattom, Elamahkara where he was residing and had kept the sacred idols, paraphernalia, insignia, jewellery, assets and properties of the Samsthan. The value of these sacred idols, paraphernalia, insignia, jewellery, assets and properties of the Samsthan, which he is illegally holding cannot be estimated in monetary value. There are diamond ornaments and other articles, the value of which cannot be estimated. These articles are not the properties of any individuals; even the Matadhipathi is given custodial rights alone during his tenure as Matadhipathi. This cannot be appropriated by anybody. Religious sentiments attached to this dates back to the 16th Century, ” he briefed.
The court commissioner went to the premises along with Amin. However, they could not find out any of the articles but some of his associates/henchmen were there. This very clearly indicates that he has misappropriated and dealt with the same in a manner in which such articles are not expected to be deal with. Raghavendra Thirtha and his henchmen had colluded together and entered into a conspiracy based on which they had taken out all the sacred idols, paraphernalia, insignia, jewellery, assets and properties of the Samsthan and has misappropriated the same.
However, on 29 October 2011 Raghavendra Thirtha was arrested by the C K Dinne Police, Kadapa Rural on suspicious moment of some hermits on the intimation by some residents of Indira Colony, Kadapa Rural and Crime No. 183/2011 was registered u/s 41 (1), 102 of Cr.PC was registered against him and another person by name Laxmikanth Prabhu. On coming to know of this, the Matadhipathi of Sri Kashi Math Samsthan, Varanasi lodged a complaint with CK Dinne Police, Kadapa Rural. The same is now under investigation by the CBCID of Andhra Pradesh. The idols seized by the Police have been handed over to the Matadhipathi of Shree Kashi Math Samsthan by the Magistrate Court of Kadapa, partially satisfying the decree. The CBCID is now investigating for the remaining valuables of the Samsthan which includes a huge collection of Gold and Diamond Jewellery, Silver Puja items which is an accretion of nearly four centuries.
However, as the decretal items not getting back, the High Court of Kerala directed the Police to register an FIR and produce him before the competent court to execute the decree. After thorough investigation and search, as they could not trace him, the Kerala Police requested the Hon’ble High Court to hand over the investigation to CBI. The CBI declared him proclaimed offender and announced an award of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to his arrest.
By misusing the interim injunction of the Tirupathi Court, Raghavendra Thirtha was managing the Tiruamala Shree Kashi Math through his henchmen and associates. In all they have for nearly 15 years siphoned the funds of Tirumala Shree Kashi Math to the extent of nearly Rs 5 crore for which a complaint has been registered as Crime No. 55/2015 of Hyderabad PS with the Andhra Pradesh Police and now being investigated by the CBCID of Tirupathi RO., Andhra Pradesh. He was arrested by CBCID of Andhra Pradesh and was in custody for nearly two months. During the period he was produced by the CBI before the Kerala court which granted him bail. He was also granted conditional bail by the Magistrate of Chittoor in Crime No. 55/2015. By violating the conditions he moved to Bangalore and fraudulently registered a trust by name Sri Kashi Math Samsthan, Varanasi (Banaras) to confuse and misguide the devotees and authorities. The reigning Matadhipathi, Srimad Samyameendra Thirtha Swamiji has obtained stay for the Trust and the Hon’ble City Civil Court No. 9, Bangalore City has injuncted him from claiming to be the Matadhipathi of Shree Kashi Math Samsthan, Varanasi and not to interfere in the affairs of Shree Kashi Math Samsthan; it has also further injuncted him from using the logo, photos of earlier Swamijis of the Samsthan and operating any bank accounts of the Samsthan.
“Earlier, the Appeal filed against the order of OS 34/2000 had been dismissed with cost by the Hon’ble High Court of Andhra Pradesh on 1st June 2014, with this all legal battle of Raghavendra Thirtha to ascend the Matadhipathya of Shree Kashi Math Samsthan, came to a logical end. His Holiness Srimad Sudhindra Thirtha Swamiji had issued proclamation dated 8-9-2015 and reiterated that Raghavendra Thirtha is no longer their successor and named Srimad Samyameendra Thirtha as their successor. The entire community, barring a few henchmen of Raghavendra Tirtha, have reverentially accepted the directions and wishes of Srimad Sudhindra Thirtha Swamiji. Accordingly, when they attained Mahasamadhi on 16/17-01-2016, Srimad Samyameendra Thirtha Swamiji ascended as Matadhipathi of Shree Kashi Math Samsthan, Varanasi and is performing all the religious and temporal, administrative duties of Matadhipathi of Shree Kashi Math Samsthan. This has resulted in utmost jealousy in the wicked mind of Raghavendra Thirtha alias Shivananda Pai who along with his henchmen has conspired with this gang led by Sam Peter and others to take revenge by taking law in his own hands.
It is to be submitted that we all have been facing the false, frivolous complaints and harassment for the last two decades by this Raghavendra Thirtha alias Shivananda Pai and some of his henchmen mainly from Mangalore / Udupi / Surathkal and other places. These people have been spreading false and frivolous propaganda against Shree Kashi Math Samsthan, its Swamijis and the trustees of various temples and institutions of our community. Many attempts have been made to file false and frivolous cases, complaints, FIRs in various police stations, courts, etc”, said Jagannath.
“We have requested the Mangaluru City Police Commissioner to investigate into the revelations made by the apprehended person with regard to the statements, confessions made in the conspiracy against Shree Kashi Math, its Matadhipati and followers of Shree Kashi Math Samsthan in detail and take necessary action against the culprits”, said Jagannath.
Later the members of the GSB Temples Association approached the Police Commissioner Dr Harsha and handed over a memorandum requesting to take strict action against Raghavendra Thirtha.
Vice President Dinesh Kamath, secretary Ganapathi Pai, Joint Secretary Athul Kudva, Treasurer G Umesh Pai and others were also present.