Cash seizure: Late Sathya Sai Baba's nephew RJ Ratnakar questioned

Late Sathya Sai Baba's nephew RJ Ratnakar was today questioned by police in connection with the seizure of Rs 35.5 lakh in cash from this Andhra Pradesh town recently.

A team lead by the Investigative Officer, who is probing the case, quizzed Ratnakar at his residence in Prashanti Nilayam here, a senior police officer told PTI.

Police had on Wednesday issued notices to two trustees of the Sai Central Trust -- Ratnakar and V Srinivasan --asking them to appear before it in connection with the cash seizure.

Meanwhile, police concluded its questioning of Venkatesh, a personal assistant of Srinivasan, the officer said, adding that Srinivasan would be quizzed on Monday.

Three persons arrested in connection with the seizure of Rs 35.5 lakh in cash Harishnanda Shetty, Chandrashekhar Murthy alias Shekhar and engineer Sohan Shetty were yesterday granted conditional bail by a court.

Harishnanda Shetty is the driver of the vehicle that was transporting Rs 35.5 lakh which was confiscated during checking at Kodikonda check post under Chilamanthur police station limits bordering Karnataka on June 18.

The cash was recovered a day after Sai Baba's personal chamber 'Yajur Mandir' was opened and it was disclosed that it contained 98 kg of gold, 307 kg of silver, apart from Rs 11.56 crore.