RAMANAGARA: The Magadi police have intensified the probe four days after Basavalinga Swami of Kanchugal Bande Mutt committed suicide, With many suspicions rising in the case, the Magadi police have also registered a suo-motu case and are gathering technical evidence.
With the case taking many twists and turns, there are now questions whether the seer was deliberately honey-trapped and blackmailed for money. The incidents preceding his death raise doubts about whether he was targeted with questionable intentions.
There are several questions which beg answers: Was Basavalinga Swami trapped by his own close associates? Is this a conspiracy by influential people who were associated with the seer? Did the police inquire about the three mysterious women? What is the relationship between math and the unknown woman, whose name is mentioned in the death note? Who introduced the woman to the seer? Did the seer become a victim of factional politics of his close associates? Is there any hand of another Lingayat seer, who is eyeing the seer’s position and the mutt property?
According to police, the seer’s car driver and staff of mutt have been questioned, but no arrests have been made so far. Meanwhile, it has come to light that a person blackmailed the seer with a demand of Rs 10 crore after sending him a video of some private conversation. Under pressure, Shivalinga Swami took the extreme step, it is said.
The police, however, are tight-lipped about the progress into the investigation in the case. Ramanagara SP Santosh Babu, who spoke to the media on Thursday, in connection with the Kanchugal Mutt seer suicide case said, “Initially, a complaint was filed by the mutt authorities. After the death note found in the seer’s room, we registered a suo motu case and handed over the investigation to Magadi police”.
The SP further said, “The police have recovered a three-page torn death note, which he wrote earlier. He might have thrown out from the window. The contents of the letter are the same and there is no new information. The death note recovered initially was under the bedsheet. It looks like he tried to write seperate letter to other seers. We have asked the mutt authorities to hand over one more death letter by this evening. The Magadi police are looking into all angles and are collecting technical evidence. We have questioned about 20 people, but have not arrested anybody so far. Action will be taken against whoever is involved in the case. It is quite evident that there was a plan behind recording the video”.
“So far, we have not got any clues about the woman who allegedly honey-trapped the seer. Preliminary investigation and it has to be done in a sensitive manner. Until we get confirmed details of any woman, we cannot predict anything. We are not bothered about rumours that are doing the rounds”, the SP added.
