Lady head of Mukteshwar Math held, 1.26 crore in cash, 2.4 kg gold recovered from residence

Palanpur: Police today arrested a lady mahant (head of a religious shrine) and recovered cash worth Rs 1 crore 26 lakhs (all in Rs 2000 notes) and 2.4 kg gold (24 bars of 100 gms each) from her residence here.

SP Neeraj Badgujar said that head of Mukteshwar Math, situated in Badgam area of Banaskantha district, Sadhvi Jai Shree Giri has been arrested in connection with a cheating case filed by a local jeweler.

‘During a raid in this connection at her residence in Gauri Park Socieity in Paschim police station area of Palanpur, the headquarter town of Banaskantha district, altogether 6300 notes of Rs 2000 denominations worth Rs 1.26 crore and 24 gold bars each weighing 100 gms were recovered,’ the SP said.

A local jeweler Pritesh Shah, who also owns a shop in the city, had filed a case against 3 persons including the Sadhvi and one Chirag Rawal and one unknown person claiming that they had taken Rs 5 crore 2 lakh and 20 thousand from him in last few months in the name of giving him gold at cheaper rates. They had neither given any gold to him nor returned the money, the SP said.

The two other accused are still at large. The Sadhvi has been arrested from her residence during the raid today and was being interrogated further. The Income Tax department has also been informed about the recovery of cash and gold.

Notably, the Sadhvi was seen throwing Rs 2000 notes on a well known singer during a folk music event (Dyro).

DeshGujarat