DID SATHYA SAI BABA INFLUENCE THE JUDICIARY?
Basava Premanand probed deeply into the alleged 'fixing' of the judiciary by Sathya Sai Baba and his minions. He made various petitions to the Supreme Court and High Courts, most of which were turned down or queued so far down the waiting list that he died before getting any result. One case was heard by Judge Anjaneyulu at the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which ended with the amazing verdict that Sathya Sai Baba was not subject to the Gold Control Act, because he materialized the gold he gave away! That the judiciary was influenced in this case cannot be doubted by any judicial-minded observer! (See here)
Basava Premanand's voluminous correspondence with court authorities at all levels show how he was given a pathetic run-around and that his questions were never answered by anyone, but referred to others. In no remotely democratic judiciary would this be tolerated. But then, everyone knows that the Indian courts are among the worst in the world for doing justice - or even allowing petitions to be heard. T.N. Seshan himself complained of the undemocratic state of affairs in India when he was Chief Election Commissioner Failings in Indian Justice – by ex-Chief Election Commissioner T.N. Seshan, though he admitted it had improved somewhat later on. Meanwhile, many other level-headed observers and academics in India deplore the judiciary, the red tape, the corruption (paying to jump the endless queue of cases and much more). It is widely proven that corruption flourishes at most levels in the Indian administration, and not least at the very top (see here).
"In 1981 I came across the 48th divine dawn Birthday Number of the News Chronicle dated 23.11.1973 so also the souvenir published by Sri Satya Sai Seva Samithi, Bombay titled “AT THE LOTUS FEET 1968”.
The article “Those early years” authored by Y.R. Ghorpade, EX Maharaja of Sandur attracted my attention as it contained a defamatory sentence defaming our Judiciary.
"BEFORE I COULD MENTION THIS PROBLEM TO BABA HE SAID THAT I NEED NOT WORRY ABOUT THE SUPREME COURT CASE AS HE WOULD SEE THAT THE CASE IS DECIDED IN MY FAVOUR. AND, SURE ENOUGH IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS I HEARD THAT WE HAD WON IN THE SUPREME COURT."
To get the details of the case I wrote to the Ex Maharaja of Sandur and though he kept mum on the case advised me to write to Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications, Prasanthinilayam.
From his silence on my questions, I knew that there was something interesting in the case and I started searching for the case in the Supreme Court Law Journals and I succeeded in my search in 1984. The said judgement was given on 6.5.1966 by Justices K.N.Wanchoo, J.C,Shah and S.M.Sikri in civil appeal Nos. 1l33 & 1134. Hon.J.C.Shah gave a dissenting judgment dismissing the petitions of Y.R. Ghorpade while other two Hon.Justices allowed the appeals with costs at Supreme Court and the High Court.
When I went through the magazines published by Satya Sai Baba, it was found that YR. Ghorpade and his wife did visit Puttaparthi in October 1965.
As a person interested in the welfare of the Judiciary,I wrote to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India to give me the names of the Hon.Justices of the Supreme Court and the High Courts and the addresses of the High Courts in India, so that I could write to them to know their reactions in this matter individually and collectively. The Asst. Registrar of the Hon. Supreme Court rejected my request.
After collecting the names of the Hon’ble Justices from the Law Journals, a petition was sent to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India and the Companion Justices of the Hon. Supreme Court on 2.2.1985 for answers to the following questions and the reply was that “no action can be taken on the papers sent by me as such the same have been lodged”!
Can a person like Satya Sai Baba who proclaims himself to be the reborn Shirdi Sai Baba and Sarva Daivatva Swaroopa -the god of all the gods by showing some tricks as miracles without 'permitting investigations to the truthfulness of his miracles influence the Hon.Justices in Supreme Court to favour the persons whom they want?
2. what is the part played by Satya Sai Baba and through whom, in seeing that this case is decided in favour of YR. Ghorpade?
3. Have the Hon. Justices, gone against Law and Justice while the case was decided in favour of YR. Ghorpade?
4. If what is narrated in the article is false what action the Hon. Supreme Court would take against Y.R. Ghorpade and News Chronicle, Ludhiana for publishing this article?
It is now for the Lawyers, Jurists, Judiciary etc., to find if Sathya Sai Baba had influenced the Hon.Supreme Court to get the case decided in favour of Y.R.Ghorpade, and if not to take contempt of court action against YR.Ghorpade. Or if the Hon. Justices have been influenced then to pass necessary orders in this respect so that people of ‘India have confidence in the Judiciary.
It was surprising that one of the Hon.Justices met Sai Baba 'when this case was pending and later Sikri &Co., appointed as Lawyers of Y.R. Ghorpade and his business empire. (p. 74-5)"
Premanand has published the long exchange of letters with the Supreme Court, where their unwillingness to comply with his entirely legitimate requests shines through. This devious avoidance is typical of official bodies in India, both the Supreme Court and the Goverment, despite the introduction of a Freedom of Information Act! Here are a selection of the mail documents:-
The Supreme Court engaged in and illegal act - see here Supreme Court of India cover-up: petition ad Sathya Sai Baba rejected
Indian police get away with murder – outrage in India
Sathya Sai Baba and Indian dignitaries