I T raid at Pragyadham Ashram

Jabalpur, Aug 10 (UNI) The Income Tax officials raided Pragyanand Maharaj's Pragyadham Ashram and about half a dozen places related to the trustees of Pragya Sai Lokkalyan Trust here.

The officials split into four groups carried out simultaneous raids yesterday at about half a dozen places, including the Katangi-located Ashram and the premises of a chartered accountant associated with the trust, Income Tax sources said.

The raids followed complaints regarding irregularities in contributions of several lakhs of rupees received by various organisations run by the Delhi-based Pragyanand Maharaj, who originally hailed from Jabalpur.

The organisations also received foreign contributions, the sources said, adding the trust had not submitted its accounts since 2003. The saint was also alleged to be involved in money laundering, the sources added.

UNI