IT raids at Madurai Adheenam (mutt)

May 5, 2012

mutt

Madurai, May 5: Income tax officials today conducted a raid at the Madurai Adheenam (mutt) which has been in the limelight following the appointment of the controversial self-styled godman Nityananda as head of the 1500-year-old Saivaite Mutt.

Officials, who entered the mutt early this morning, sealed all exit points and started checking the strong room.

Officials said they were conducting the raid on orders from their Delhi counterparts and they had seized some documents and cash but declined to give details.

They assessed the value of the "golden" crown and "golden" throne, which was brought to the mutt before anointment of Nityananda as the 293rd mutt head besides the jewellery in the mutt premises, IT officials said.

Nityananda had claimed recently that he would be spending Rs.five crore,and send five management students to manage the affairs of the mutt which has properties worth Rs.1200 Crore.

The officials also made inquiries with the Adheenam Arunagirinatha Gnanasambandha Desiga Paramacharya Swami.

Mutt officials said rent collected from various shopping complex buildings was nominal,and their accounts were audited both by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department and their own auditors. They said the Adheenam (mutt head) would be offered "Padakanikai" (money given by devotees),which was exempted from Income Tax.

Nityananda's appointment as Mutt head on April 27 has triggered a controversy with many religious leaders and political outfits protesting against it.

Nityananda, who is the first person outside the Saiva Velalar community to be appointed as Mutt chief, had landed in a controversy after a video footage showing him in a compromising position with an actress was telecast by local TV channels in March 2010. He was arrested on Apr 21, 2010 from Solan in Himachal Pradesh and granted bail on June 11, 2010 by the Karnataka High Court.

The Madurai Aadheenam has reportedly existed since time immemorial.However, it was revived around 1500 years ago by Tirujnana Sambandar, one of the four visionary saints of South Indian Shaiva Siddhanta philosophy.

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News Network
October 21,2024

khalistan.jpg

Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on Monday warned passengers not to fly on Air India flights from November 1 to 19. He asserted that an attack could take place on an Air India flight during the specified dates, which coincide with the "40th anniversary of the Sikh genocide".

The founder of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), who holds dual citizenship in Canada and the US, had issued a similar threat around the same time last year.

Pannun's fresh threat comes amid several airlines in India receiving multiple threat calls about potential bombings, all of which turned out to be hoaxes. It also occurred at a time when India and Canada are engaged in a murky diplomatic row following Canada's allegations of India targeting Khalistani elements in the country, including the murder of another terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

In November 2023, Pannun released a video claiming that Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport would be renamed and would remain closed on November 19, warning people against flying on Air India that day. The National Investigation Agency charged him with criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, and various offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

In December last year, Pannun threatened to attack the Parliament on or before December 13, following reports of an alleged foiled plot to kill him. December 13 marks the anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Parliament in 2001.

He also threatened to kill Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Director General of State Police Gaurav Yadav on Republic Day this year. He also urged gangsters to unite and launch an attack on Mann on January 26.

Pannun has been designated a terrorist by the Ministry of Home Affairs since July 2020 on charges of sedition and secessionism, as he leads SFJ, a group advocating for a separate sovereign Sikh state. A year prior to this, India banned SFJ as an "unlawful association" for engaging in "anti-national and subversive" activities.

In another development, on October 17, the United States charged a former officer of India's spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for allegedly directing a foiled plot to murder Pannun, a charge New Delhi has rejected as baseless allegations.

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News Network
October 27,2024

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav stated on Sunday, October 27, that his party is prepared to contest the Maharashtra Assembly elections independently if the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) does not include them in the alliance. 

Yadav assured that the SP would only contest in constituencies where it has a strong organizational presence and would ensure its participation does not affect the MVA’s overall prospects.

Several I.N.D.I.A. alliance members have expressed dissatisfaction with the Congress over seat-sharing arrangements in upcoming state polls. 

Both the CPI(ML)L and the RJD voiced frustration after being offered only 3-4 seats each for the Jharkhand elections by the Congress.

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