SHILLONG: The secretary of a renowned charitable organisation here in the city is accused of money laundering to the tune of over Rs 60lakh.
Swami Damodarananda, the secretary of Bharat Sevashram Sangha (BSS) located in Upper Jail Road area of the city is allegedly involved in money laundering and an investigation carried out in this regard reveals incriminating evidences of wrongdoings by the monk.
The BSS headquarters in Kolkata has not only acknowledged this fact but has summoned him there next month.
BSS is a worldwide philanthropic organisation known for its charitable and public welfare efforts.
According to Swami Vishwatmananda, the secretary of BSS headquarters in Kolkata, he had received complaints against Damodarananda prior to the Durga Puja festival earlier this month and he was summoned to Varanasi.
He assured a probe into the matter and called him to appear at the headquarters on November 15 with documents.
A special governing body meeting has been scheduled to take action against Swami Damodarananda for money laundering.
Several bank statements reveal that one Provat Kumar Misra and Juthika Misra — whose account number 11851784370 with State Bank of India, Mehjhiary in Burdwan, West Bengal — are the direct beneficiaries of funds dished out allegedly by Damodarananda who is also regarded as Amit Maharaj by the devotees.
His brother Sumit Misra has also received diverted funds on few occasions. This money from public donations are being utilised by the swami for his immediate family’s personal benefits as sources informed that Provat and Juthika are the parents of Damodarananda, who is accused of converting public fund provided for charitable purpose into private use. It is being alleged that over Rs 60lakh were laundered which were collected over the years as public donations and was not put into proper accounts of BSS but used to benefit the duo. According to the bank statements dated January 1, 2014, to March 1, 2017, March 2, 2017, to September 28, 2018, (A/c of Provat Kumar Misra and Juthika Misra), November 22, 2012, to September 20, 2018 (A/c of Swami Purnabratananda Maharaj) and September 14, 2017, to October 3, 2018, (A/c of Swami Damodarananda) monthly amounts ranging from several thousands to several lakhs were transferred to the account of Provat and Juthika, regularly.
According to the bank statements, Rs 24.26 lakh was transferred from the account of Damodarananda, Rs 7.70 lakh transferred from the account of Swami Purnabratananda and Rs 28.56 lakh in the form of cheques and from devotees’ accounts. It is alleged that money from the account of Purnabratananda were misused by Damodarananda. Later, this account was closed by Purnabratananda.
Sources claimed that the beneficiary of this transferred amount has since developed assets in the form of properties and buildings in West Bengal’s Burdwan, which happens to be the hometown of Damodarananda.
Devotees are of the opinion that the authorities should go deep into this money laundering case and has also demanded that it is high time that religious and charitable organisations are brought under the purview of Right to Information.
There are queries regarding the stand of BSS’s headquarters in Kolkata and why it has not initiated any action despite this illegality dating back to 2012. There are also allegations from many that Swami Damodarananda is conducting spiritual activities under the garb of the Sangha at the Shillong branch and BSS has been maligned and besmirched by him.
Sources said Damodarananda’s action is spoiling the sanctity of BSS whose activities date back to almost 50 years in Shillong from the time of undivided Assam. The yeoman service rendered by the likes of Swami Bijoyananda and numerous other monks during times of crisis has been the hallmark of this organisation.
