Kerala govt orders further probe into Saswathikananda's death

Kerala government today announced further probe into the death of Swami Saswathikananda of Sivagiri Mutt.
State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the decision to initiate further probe was taken after the Home secretary and the Crime Branch examined the recent revelations on Swami's death and found that there were new evidences and that the case qualified for further investigation.
Chennithala said further probe has been ordered under criminal procedure code 173 (3) in view of the fresh evidences on the death of the Swami, who was found drowned in the Periyar river at Aluva in July 2002.
ADGP Ananthakrishnan would supervise the probe to be carried out by a Special team headed by Ernakulam Superintendent Madhu, Chennithala told a press meet at Alappuzha.

"Government is convinced that fresh evidence is there following the new revelations on the issue," he said, apparently referring to the allegations of Kerala Bar Hotel Owners Association Working President Biju Ramesh that the Swami had been murdered and SNDP head Vellapally Natesan and his son Thushar had a role in it.
Chennithala said KPCC President V M Sudheeran, CPI(M) veteran and opposition leader V S Achuthanandan, CWC member and former Defence Minister A K Antony besides others in society had asked for further investigation after Ramesh made the charges.

"Government decided to order a further probe taking into consideration all these factors," Chennithala added.

Welcoming the government's decision, Natesan, General Secretary of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), an organisation of the numerically strong backward Ezhava community in Kerala, said: "let the truth come out and clear all doubts."
"Nothing is going to happen to me." However, he added: "it is a cruelty to the Swami who attained Jalasamadhi."
Natesan had earlier rejected the charges, saying he was ready to face any probe, including by CBI. He had also pointed out that a crime branch probe into Saswathikananda's death had confirmed that he drowned in Periyar river.