PUTTAPARTHI: Over 3 kg of gold, 350 kg of silver and over a lakh of rupees in cash are learnt to have been found in the second room of Yajurveda Mandir, the doors of which were opened on Monday for conducting a search.But unconfirmed reports said the gold and cash found were much more — 34 kg of gold and Rs1.9 crore in cash.A team of officials led by district collector V Durga Das opened the room of the personal residence of the late spiritual leader Satya Sai Baba at Prashanti Nilayam in the morning. The search was conducted entirely in secrecy but in the presence of Satya Sai Central Trust members justice PS Bhagavati, Indulal Shah, SV Giri, V Srinivasan, RJ Ratnakar, K Chakravarti, JV Setty and JKK Bhagat. The other member, KK Naganand, was not present as he was away.The inspection of the rooms in Yajurveda Mandir began at 11 am and continued till late in the night and none of the officials or trust members came out of the mandir during the exercise. They had lunch inside the room. After coming out, no official or trust member was willing to say anything on the happenings or findings in the room. However, sources told Express that over 300 kg of silver, mostly ornaments, 3 kg of gold and bundles of cash amounting to over `1 lakh and some costly silk sarees was found in the mandir. ‘’Baba used to distribute sarees and silver jewellery among devotees,’’ the sources said. The inspection is likely to be carried out for another two days, after which a detailed report will be submitted to the government. It is the third time that the doors of Yajurveda Mandir were opened after they had been closed on April 4 while Satya Sai was in hospital. They were opened for the first time after the demise of the spiritual guru on June 16 and again on July 2.In the first instance it was opened by trust members who had, after a marathon inventory-taking, found `11.56 crore in cash, 98 kg of gold and 307 kg of sliver in the mandir. Later, district officials led by joint collector Anita Ramachandran opened the doors and conducted an inspection. They found Rs 78 lakh worth of gold and silver ornaments and a diamond ring then. All the cash and bullion found in the mandir were deposited with SBI.The trust had already submitted a report as sought by the government pertaining on its activities in the past five years. Senior officials are perusing the reports.Officials who accompanied the district collector on the inspection on Monday include Puttaparthi special officer G Venkatesam, MRO M Kodandarami Reddy and MPDO Manjulanath Rao.District collector V Durga Das said inspection of four rooms was completed and a large number of silk sarees, gold, silver and cash found.
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