Ready for any test; will quit Mutt if charges against me are proven: Pejawar seer

Udupi, Jul 24: The Pejawar Mutt chief pontiff Vishwesha Teertha Swami, who landed in controversy following the release of an audio tape casting aspersions on his ‘character’, has said that he would quit the Mutt if charges against him are proven.

“I am ready to face any investigation or test. If any aspersion on my character is proved, I will immediately abdicate my position as seer of Pejawar Mutt,” he said in a release. “I have not desired any money from the Shiroor seer nor did I ask it from him,” he added.

The Pejawar seer said that after the death of Shiroor seer, some had questioned as to why he had spoken about the Shiroor seer’s alleged wrongdoings, not returning the presiding deities of Shiroor Mutt and his absence during the performance of last rites of the Shiroor seer. “I had no other alternative but to reply to these issues as the media was after him,” he said.

The Pejawar seer further clarified that he had no role in the abdication (“peetha tyaga”) of Raghuvallabha Tirtha, the former seer of Palimar Mutt, Manojnya Tirtha, the former seer of Shiroor Mutt, or Vidyabhushana, the former seer of Subrahmanya Mutt. On the contrary, he had tried to convince them to continue as heads of their respective mutts.

Meanwhile, the police have intensified their probe into the death of Lakshmivara Tirtha Swami. According to sources, the police collected some items from the Shiroor Mutt. The police are also questioning some persons in this regard, sources said.