Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mar 18: A single judge bench of Kerala high court, on Thursday March 16, ordered to hand over disowned disciple of Sri Sudhindra Teertha Swamiji, former head of Kashi Math of GSB community,  identified as Raghavendra Teertha alias Shivananda Pai, to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

This order was passed after examining a petition filed by Shivananda Pai. It said that there are no objection to entrust him to CBI investigation.

The orders in this case, which was heard earlier, were reserved in the past in view of the fact that a case was pending in Ernakulam district court pending final decree.

The bench gave this decision, duly upholding the plea of the Math seeking to get back various gold ornaments having religious and antique value, silverware, and other high value items belonging to Kashi Math currently in the possession of the former junior Swamiji of the Math.

Shivananda Pai, who is facing the case of betraying the trust of innumerable followers of Kashi Math, was arrested from the outskirts of Bengaluru on march 6. He had remained elusive since the last several years, in spite of orders passed by Tirupathi and Kadapa courts to return gold ornaments and other valuables to their true owner, Kashi Math.

As Shivananda Pai did not obey the court orders and evaded action, the policemen had requested to hand over the case to CBI. Cases had been registered against Pai in three cases. Finally, Andhra CID police arrested Pai at Hosur on March 6 this year and produced him in Tirupathi court. CBI had earlier announced a reward of one lac rupees to anyone giving credible information about Pai's whereabouts.