Valuables worth 76 lakh found in Sai Baba's room

Silver and gold articles worth over Rs 76 lakh have been found during a joint inspection by government officials and Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust into a room adjoining late Sathya Sai Baba's personal chamber, the Yajur Mandir', the Trust said on Sunday.

The inspection came over a fortnight after Rs 11.56 crore in cash, 98 kg of gold and 307 kg of silver was found from the chamber and officials said that they may survey the Yajur Mandir again in coming days.

Following a request from the Trust to conduct an inventory of valuables in a room adjoining the Yajur Mandir, a team of officials including the trustees, council of management members and representatives of the state government led by Anantapur district joint collector Anitha Ramachandran and additional joint collector inspected  the Yajur Mandir on Saturday, and found the valuables from a room, according to a release from the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust.

The officials found 116 kg silverware worth Rs 57.96 lakh, 905 grams of gold jewellery worth Rs 15.83 lakh and a diamond ring worth Rs 3 lakh. However, no cash was found. The private chambers of Sathya Sai Baba was also inspected and no valuables were found, the release said.

Joint Colletor Anitha Ramachandran said on Sunday that they may again carry out another inspection in the Yajur Mandir in the coming days.

"We may again conduct another inspection as there are lot of covers and envelopes that contain cheques given by devotees and kept inside the Yajur Mandir," the senior official said, adding all the articles found on Saturday will be kept in the bank account of Sai Central Trust.

All the items found earlier were also deposited in the bank account of the Sai Central Trust. The Yajur Mandir had remained closed ever since Sai Baba was hospitalised on March 28. The Baba passed away on April 24.