The Kerala High Court has dismissed a petition seeking a further investigation under the supervision of an officer not below the rank of Inspector General into the death of former head of Sivagiri Madhom, Swami Saswathikananda.
Saswathikananda, allegedly drowned while taking bath in the Periyar near Advaitashramam in Aluva on July 1, 2002. The investigation conducted by the local police and later the Superintendent of Police Ernakulam (Rural) concluded that the death was due to drowning. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the government in 2007 had also concluded that it was a case of drowning.
Justice Kauser Edappagath while dismissing a petition filed by All Kerala Anti-Corruption and Human Rights Protection Council recently challenging the conclusion of the SIT observed that the investigation and further investigation were conducted several times and all the investigations revealed that it was a case of death due to accidental drowning.
The post-mortem findings were consistent with death due to drowning. A chemical analysis report was collected and there was nothing to suggest that it was a homicide. Therefore, no more investigation was necessary in the case, the court said.
Published – March 19, 2025 07:07 pm IST