Two more arrested in missing monk case

VADTAL Kheda, April 6: The CBI arrested on Monday night two more functionaries of the trust which manages the Swaminarayan institutions...

VADTAL Kheda, April 6: The CBI arrested on Monday night two more functionaries of the trust which manages the Swaminarayan institutions all over the world and also informally questioned the head of the sect Acharya Shree Ajendraprasadji Maharaj in connection with the disappearance of trust chairman Gadadharnandji.

The missing monk is chairman of the Vadtal Temple Managing Trustee Board that controls about 400 Swaminarayan institutions not just 80, as reported earlier all over the world, along with their huge assets.

More than 10 SRP jawans were deployed around the 20-bigha premises of the Vadtal temple complex where more than 300 priests live. Kheda district police chief B D Vaghela said the security was to defuse tension among devotees and priests.

The CBI presented the two arrested oficials in the district court late on Tuesday night and got an eight-day remand order.

Those arrested yesterday were Shreenarayan Swami, assistant kothari of the Vadtal temple, and Vijay Bhagat, a lower-level functionary. On March 29, the CBI had arrested four other officials.

Sect head Acharya Shree Ajendraprasadji admitted he had been informally questioned by the CBI and said he had handed over certain documents. Speaking to Express Newsline, the Acharya came out strongly against the 8220;power politics8221; that he said was the cause of the crime. He also spoke of the 8220;huge amounts of money and property of the trust8221; that could be a motive for the disappearance. Such an incident, he said, could not be without background.

8220;It is a shame on the religion, on humanity, the whole sect, but it has happened because of some individuals8221;, he said, adding, 8220;The problem is also with our own system of making priests the managers of money and property of the sect. You cannot appoint a cat to guard milk.8221;

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8220;The media and police seem to be appreciating what is happening on the surface level 8212; some recent meetings and the stand on postings of two groups, the acharyas8217; and the devas8217;, the fight over which has reached the courts. quot;It cannot be only this. I cannot tell you in details, but the truth will triumph8221;, he said.