Tirupati: Arjun Das returns as Hathiramji Mutt Mahant

Tirupati: After AP High Court struck down the suspension of Arjun Das as Mahant of Sri Swamy Hathiramji Mutt, he came to the Mutt to take charge on Friday.

However, as the office of the Mahant remained sealed, and the Custodian of the Mutt remained away from the temple, Das, who came along with a group of disciples and his advocate equipped with High Court order, forced to stand outside the office on the premises of mutt.

Despite his repeated attempts, no staff of the mutt responded while the Custodian of the mutt Chandrasekhar Reddy, who is Srikalahasthiswara Swamy temple executive officer was also away at Srikalahasthi overseeing the arrangements for Brahmotsavams, Arjun Das could not contact the Custodian for taking charge as Mahant.

After waiting several hours, Das left the mutt while unconfirmed reports indicated that he left for Srikalahasthi to meet the mutt Custodian seeking hand over the charge.

Das was suspended as Mahant of Sri Hathiramji Mutt over charges of irregularities and Srikalahathiswara Swamy temple executive officer Chandrasekhar Reddy was appointed as Custodian of the mutt on January 29, forcing Das approach AP High Court against the government order suspending him.

The High Court quashed the orders of AP Endowments Commissioner acting as secretary of Dharmic Parishad suspending Arjun Das as Mahant leading to a tussle between Arjun Das and the endowments department.

Speaking to media in front of closed Mahant office located in Hathiramji Mutt here, Arjun Das strongly refuted the allegations against him and questioned the propriety behind the government order suspending him as Mahant. "It is in fact some bigwigs who have an eye on the valuable lands of the mutt who saw me sacked as I am opposing them trying to knock away the landed properties and also zealously guarding mutt interests," he said.

The suspension of Das assumed political overtones with Sangh Pariwar who sought appointment of TTD executive officer as custodian of the mutt instead of an endowments official to safeguard mutt's interests.

They suspected that the removal of Mahant and appointment of an endowments officer as custodian was a clever move by the vested interests to clear the path for regularisation of the unauthorised sale of mutt properties and also grab the remaining lands of the mutt.