KOCHI: The Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on Friday ordered the CBI to produce Swami Raghavendra Thirtha, former deputy pontiff of the Kashi Math Samsthan, before it on March 20.
Issuing the order, the court observed the CBI had been investigating a missing case registered under Section-57 of the Kerala Police Act, and no offence was registered against Raghavendra Thirtha.
On Thursday, the Kerala High Court vacated an order it had issued earlier staying the CBI investigation into the case. Raghavendra Thirtha was arrested by the Andhra Pradesh police last week.
After the High Court vacated the stay, the CBI approached the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court seeking permission to proceed with the inquiry.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate Court said since Raghavendra Thirtha was taken into custody from Andhra Pradesh, he would have to be produced before court for recording statement.
Raghavendra Thirtha’s lawyer submitted the accused should be provided proper security as he was facing threats. Considering the request, the court ordered the CBI to make proper security arrangements while producing him before the court. “Once he is produced before the court and his statement recorded, all the proceedings under the CBI case - to find the missing person - will come to an end. We hope to bring Raghavendra Thirtha to Kochi after production warrant is submitted before the court concerned in Andhra Pradesh,” said a CBI officer.