Sadhvi, from whose house 1.29 crore cash, 2.4 kg gold, liquor bottles recovered, removed from Mahamandaleshwar position

Ahmedabad/Palanpur: The Panchdashnaam Juna Akhara has reportedly removed the controversial arrested lady Mahant of Mukteshwar Math Jay Shri Giri from the religious post of Mahamandaleshwar following her arrest in a cheating and prohibition case and recovery of large amount of cash and gold along with liquor from her residence in Palanpur city of Gujarat.

A case under section 65 (a)(e) and section 116 of the Gujarat Prohibition Act has also been lodged against her apart from section 388, 406, 420 and 120 (C) of the IPC.

‘There is a provision of 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under the above sections of the new prohibition law of Gujarat. A total of 21 bottles of beer and 4 of whisky were also recovered during a raid on her residence yesterday apart from 1.26 crore of cash in 2000 notes and over 3.5 lakh in notes of Rs 1000, 50, 20 and 10 and 2.4 kg gold,’ PI of Paschim police station of Palanpur J D Mewada today said adding that the Sadhvi would be produced in a court for seeking remand for further interrogation. The Income Tax department will separately investigate the matter involving large scale recovery of cash and valuables.

Meanwhile, the Sadhvi, who is also an accused in the sensational murder of the former Mahant of the Mukteshwar Math (Shiva temple) in Badgam area of Banaskantha district, Mauni Baba Sanjay Giri in October 2008, has claimed that she has become victim of a politics of the Sadhu community. ‘The man who has registered a case against me leading to the raid and arrest is a Vaniya by caste and have close connection with Sadhus from my sect. It is all a conspiracy to implicate me,’ she claimed.

Meanwhile reports said that Panchdashnaam Juna Akhara, an ancient religious sect, has removed the Sadhvi from Mahamandaleshwar post. It is likely to decide the further course in their upcoming pan-India meet.

A mahamadaleshwar is also supposed to be a bachelor person but it is alleged that the 47 years old Sadhvi has two children and she is separated from her former husband.

SP Neeraj Badgujar had earlier said that head of Mukteshwar Math, situated in Badgam area of Banaskantha district, Sadhvi Jai Shri 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, over 3.5 lakh in smaller denominations and 24 gold bars each weighing 100 gms with bottles of liqour were recovered,’ the SP said.

A local jeweler Pritesh Shah, who also owns a shop New Dagina Jewelers 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 around 16.2 kg gold Rs 5 crore 2 lakh and 20 thousand from him in last few months. They had not paid the money and on asking for it warned them of dire consequences, the SP said.

The two other accused are still at large. The Sadhvi has been arrested from her residence during the raid.

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

DeshGujarat