Ayodhya Mandapam row: Catering worker held for threats via phone to Sri Ram Samaj member

CHENNAI: Ashok Nagar police on Friday arrested a 49-year-old catering worker for sending a threatening message to activist M V Ramani, who exposed the misappropriation of funds at Sri Ram Samaj. The allegations led to the HR&CE department taking over the society recently as per the court order.

K Mahesh (49) of Thillai Ganga Nagar in Nanganallur is a catering worker and has cooked for events at Sri Ram Samaj on order, said police. His arrest came after the city police provided an armed guard to Ramani, who is also a lifetime member of Sri Ram Samaj after he received threats following the HR&CE department's move to take over the society. Ramani has stated in his complaint that he had received a phone call from an anonymous number on Friday morning. When he ignored the call, he received a message from the same number which, abusive in nature, asked him to take alms instead of betraying a particular community for money. Ramani had also blamed the Samaj's president S Ravichandran and acting secretary R Ramdas for instigating fellow members and the public against him. Ashok Nagar police registered a case on his complaint and traced the person, Mahesh. During interrogation, Mahesh allegedly told police he sent the message out of angst after reading on WhatsApp about taking over Sri Ram Samaj by the HR&CE department. Mahesh was booked under 153, 153A(1)(a), 294(b), 504, 505(1)(b), 505(2), 506(1) of IPC and 67 of IT Act and remanded in judicial custody.