Date:25/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/25/stories/2006072518450100.htm

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Mohanararu divested of Tantri's duties

Special Correspondent

Kantararu Maheswararu to take over as Tantri of Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa temple

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has decided to divest Tantri Kantararu Mohanararu of his responsibilities at Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa temple with immediate effect in the wake of allegations against him.

Chief priest of the temple Kantararu Maheswararu will take over the duties of Mohanararu, TDB president G. Raman Nair told The Hindu on Monday.

Mr. Nair said the decision was taken following a row over a police complaint filed by Mr. Mohanararu that he had been robbed of gold ornaments and intimidated when he visited an apartment in Kochi to conduct puja.

"Mr. Mohanararu would not be allowed to perform the puja at Sabarimala even during his next tenure," Mr. Nair said.

Asked whether there was a conspiracy behind the controversies related to Sabarimala, Mr. Nair said he did not wish to go into the merits of such issues, but "the sanctity of the temple would remain unscathed."

Case found to be false

Staff Reporter writes from Kochi: The Kochi City Police said here on Monday that a case registered by Mohanararu of abduction and extortion was found to be false, after investigation.

The police said the priest had lodged a complaint with the Special Branch through his driver on Monday that a group of six persons had assaulted him and tried to extort money from him after taking photographs of him along with a woman. Mohanararu, in his complaint, said his vehicle was flagged down at Kaloor at 7 p.m. on Monday by the accused. . They requested the priest to visit their new apartment at Valanjambalam to conduct puja.

On reaching the apartment, the accused assaulted the priest and took the photographs. The complaint said the accused had relieved him of gold ornaments weighing 20 sovereigns and demanded Rs.30 lakhs.

However, on investigation, the police found out that the priest was a regular visitor to the residential apartment. The police have records of mobile phone calls made by the priest to the woman involved in this case.

The woman was arrested by the city police under the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act six months ago.

However, S. Krishnamoorthy, the advocate representing the priest, later said that the priest appeared in person before the Circle Inspector, Ernakulam Town Central Police, and corrected the complaint that he had earlier sent with his driver.

According to the corrected version, the priest had been looking for a maid servant and reached the apartment to collect her. At this point, the group members forced themselves in and took his photographs along with the woman who was with the maid servant then. The corrected version of the complaint did not say he had been abducted.