NEW DELHI, Dec 10: The Central Bureau of Investigation, India's federal police, on Friday claimed that religious leader Chandraswami may be involved in the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The investigating agency has told a local court here that there is evidence pointing towards the Chandraswami's involvement.

The Jain Commission which probed Gandhi's assassination by a suicide bomber linked with Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had suggested an inquiry into the godman's role.

The CBI now alleges that Chandraswami might have financed the LTTE. "Evidence and material does point an accusing finger towards Chandraswami and raise a serious doubt regarding his involvement in the assassination," said CBI Superintendent of Police B N Mishra. Rajiv Gandhi was killed at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu in May 1991.