PPS smells a rat in Osho Commune deal

PUNE, MARCH 5: Patit Pavan Sanghatana (PPS) on Tuesday demanded to know from the authorities of the Osho Commune International details of...

PUNE, MARCH 5: Patit Pavan Sanghatana (PPS) on Tuesday demanded to know from the authorities of the Osho Commune International details of the cheque transactions through which Swami Jayesh alias Michael O’Byrne, the Canadian disciple of Osho and the chairman of the inner circle,’ paid Rs 1.5 crore to clear off the commune’s tax arrears.

Referring to a reported claim by the commune’s spokesperson Swami Chaitanya Keerti that Jayesh helped the commune by settling the accumulated tax arrears, PPS State unit coordinator Sandeep Khardekar said he assumed that since Swami Jayesh was a foreign national “having no legal source of income in India,” he must have made his contribution in some foreign currency and that this had the FERA clearance.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Khardekar called upon the “commune bosses” to furnish details of the transaction “in the name of transparency.”

“If the commune remains silent,” he added, “it will create unnecessary doubts.”

By the statement, Khardekar also asked the commune authorities to clarify if it was true that around the same time of the contribution made by Jayesh to the commune, “on March 2, 1987, an Alberta court issued a default judgement against Michael O’Byrne for non-payment of a series of Bank of Montreal demand loans totalling to US dollars 1,318,070.”

As regards Keerti’s other clarifications in a statement released by him on February 25 as a rejoinder to various charges made by the PPS on the previous day at a press conference, Khardekar demanded to have further details “in the interest of justice, fair play and transparency” and cautioned, “if you fail to give the information in 15 days, since you are public charitable trust, we will be compelled to seek this information through the appropriate courts of law”.

“We are glad to know that at least you admit there was a charge of illegal construction which is sub-judice,” Khardekar said.

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“We respect your right to challenge it in court. Kindly give us details in the name of transparency, what were the objections raised by the Pune Municipal Corporation.”

“We are happy to know that Indian trustees are powerful and not foreigners.” said Kharekar.

“In that case, will the managing trustees of four trusts jointly address a press conference and refute the charges against the commune rather than operating through the press office? If they decline, give us a valid reason for the same.”

Khardekar goes on: “We are glad to know that yours is the largest public trust fund contribution to the government through Pune. In that case what isthe amount for 1997-98?”

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“What are the fees for the various therapies conducted by the commune. Where and how are the fees collected. What is the number of disciples who underwent therapies conducted by Osho Multivarsity in the calender year of 1998.”

“We have a lot more in store for you,” Khardekar warned, while seeking the information in a fortnight, and asserted that failing this, he would seek this through “the appropriate courts of law.”