HC admits plea by 'suspect' seeking CBI probe in Swami's death

The Kerala High Court today admitted a petition filed by a 'suspect' in the death of former Sivagiri Mutt head Swami Saswathikananda seeking CBI probe into the death of the seer, days after the state government ordered further probe in the matter.
Considering the petition, Justice B Kemal Pasha asked the government to inform its stand on CBI probe into the case.
In his petition, P P Priyan dismissed the allegations levelled by Thiruvananthapuram-based businessman Biju Ramesh that SNDP Yogam General Secretary Vellappally Natesan and his son Tushar "appointed" him as a "mercenary" to murder Swami Saswathikananda".
The court also issued a notice to Ramesh.

In his plea, Priyan claimed that the allegations were "baseless and fictitious" and said he "does not have any acquaintance vis-a-vis Swami Saswathikananda's death".
He recalled that the Crime Branch had filed a final report in 2013 closing the case as death due to drowning.

Noting that further probe into the seer's death has been ordered by the state government on the eve of local bodies polls, he said in his petition that "the suspicious role of the present investigating agency in investigating the cause of the death, the political involvement etc, would demand a probe to be conducted" by CBI.

"Swami's death hurt the sentiments of the public at large and led to disruptions in public life as well. The petitioner--the so-called suspect has a constitutional and legal right to contemplate this proceeding as he is being needlessly tormented due to the wild accusations against him, due to which he is being deprived of a right to happy life which is an inalienable part under Article 21 of the Constitution of India," the petition said.
The Swami was found drowned in the Periyar river at Aluva in July 2002.
On October 31, the state government announced further investigation into the Swami's death following a Crime Branch report citing "new revelations" in the case.

The Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam is an organisation of backward Ezhava community in the state.