Huge amount of gold, silver, cash found in Sai Baba's chamber

This came to light today after the Sathya Sai Seva Trust members took an inventory of the things stored inside the Yajur Mandir in the presence of retired judge of Supreme Court A P Mishra and retired judge of Karnataka High Court Vaidyanatha.

An assessor approved by the Income Tax Department was also present to assist in evaluating the gold, jewellery and silver, according to Trust member and Sai Baba’s nephew R J Ratnakar.

"The cash found in the Yajur Mandir has been deposited in the account of the Trust in State Bank of India, Prasanthi Nilayam," Ratnakar told reporters here.

Yajurveda Mandir or Yajur Mandir, the personal chamber of Sai Baba where he lived, had remained closed ever since the Sai Baba was hospitalised on March 28. He died on April 24 following  multi-organ failure.

The Yajur Mandir was opened yesterday in the presence of Trust member and former Chief Justice of India P N Bhagavati,  Secretary K Chakravarthi, other  members Indulal Shah, Venu Srinivasan, and Satyajit, caretaker and disciple of Sai Baba.

With a view to dispelling doubts among followers and the general public about various items inside the mandir, the Trust members, after a thorough discussion at a meeting recently, had decided on re-opening of the chamber, Trust sources said.

There was "criticism" from various quarters on the delay in opening the mandir becuase of the valuable items like gold and silver ornaments given as gifts by devotees to Baba believed to have been stored there.