Bahrain link to alleged India 'murder'

Evidence has surfaced that an Indian spiritual leader who died around 13 years ago under suspicious circumstances in India, had a serious disagreement in Bahrain with the person blamed of plotting the ‘murder’, it has been learnt.

Swami Saswathikananda was found dead in the Periyar river near his hermitage in Aluva, in the south Indian state of Kerala on 1 July 2002.

He was initially believed to have drowned.

However many had doubted the 'drowning theory' due to the big wound found on his forehead and there were claims that the body would have floated if he had drowned. However, the autopsy report claimed it was a clear case of drowning; this led to the closure of the case as the investigators could not find any foul play in it.

Recently a Bahrain-based Indian businessman has come up with claims that Vellappally Natesan, who is the general secretary of an Indian charitable and educational society called SNDP, and the Swami had a heated argument at his Bahrain residence, just four days before his death on July 1, 2002. 

Sujathan made the revelation during an interview with an Indian television channel Kairali People TV.

“Swami Saswathikananda and Vellapally Natesan were at my house in Bahrain, discussing about the administration of an SNDP college (in Kerala) and during the conversation the latter began insulting the Swami, comparing him to a banana peel,” he said.

“Vellapally, his son Tushar or their family never liked the interference of Swami in the running of SNDP.

“If the Swami was still alive, he would not have allowed them to have complete control over SNDP, like they now do.

“Even after so many years, nobody has attempted to bring out the truth behind Swami’s death.

“Vellapally was made to head the SNDP by the Swami himself and so it is his moral responsibility to initiate investigations into the accidental or conspired death of the Swami.”

Meanwhile speculations have arisen as to why it took so long for the Sujathan to make this revelation and that it could be politically motivated due to the upcoming elections in Kerala.

Several other people with business and political interests have subsequently come forward with ‘evidence’ and theories that the Swami’s death was far from accidental.

People close to the Swami claims that he was a good swimmer and could not have drowned in the river that he used to bath in regularly.

While the police concluded the case as accidental death, the Swami’s mother Kausalya and other family members cried foul, alleging murder. She had petitioned the High Court for an impartial investigation or handing over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).