Local traders led by realtors and leaders from political parties took out a rally in Puttaparthi on Saturday to protest the alleged goings-on in the Sathya Sai Central Trust even as local police quizzed Trust member R J Rathnakar and the secretary of V Srinivasn, another member, with regard to the recent seizure of Rs 35.5 lakh cash in the district.

A police team led by Penugonda DSP Kolar Krishna is learnt to have quizzed Rathnakar and Venkatesh, the personal assistant of Srinivasan, over the recent seizure of huge amount of cash at Kodikonda checkpost close to the Karnataka border. "The questioning, done at an undisclosed location, lasted about two-and-half hours," said police sources. Srinivasan, who was also issued notice by the cops to be present for questioning with regard to the cash seizure, is likely to be quizzed on Monday.

In the morning, the traders took out the protest from Hanuman Temple to Prashanti Nilayam alleging that the name of Sathya Sai Baba and the temple town was getting tarnished due to the recent developments and wanted the state government to take over the Trust and run on the lines of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). Later, the protesters submitted a memorandum to the tahsildar and the police demanding action against the Trust members if they are found to be involved in the illegal transfer of cash. A few other locals demanded a CBI probe into the Trust affairs. They also demanded that the probe into the goings on in Prashanti Nilayam should be held at Anantapur and not in Puttaparthi. Because the entire town is under the clout of the Trust members and a free and fair enquiry is not possible there.