Today, On 30th September, The Madras High Court asked the Tamil Nadu government for details regarding criminal cases against Isha Foundation. The court also raised concerns about Jaggi Vasudev, questioning why he arranged a settled life for his daughter while promoting renunciation of material life for other women.
Chennai: The Madras High Court, on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide details of all criminal cases registered against spiritual leader Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Foundation.
A bench comprising Justices SM Subramaniam and V Sivagnanam stated that, given the multiple complaints against the Foundation, the matter warranted further examination.
Calling for more details to be presented for further consideration, the Court noted,
“The learned counsel for the petitioner would also submit that there are several other criminal cases registered and allegations are pending. In view of the serious nature of the allegations raised against the institution and the way and the manner in which the detenues have spoken before us, we could form an opinion that some more deliberations are required to understand the truth behind the allegations,”
The Court also raised concerns regarding Vasudev’s actions, questioning, the Bench remarked,
“We want to know why a person who had given his daughter in marriage and made her settle well in life is encouraging the daughters of others to tonsure their heads and live the life of a hermits. That is the doubt,”
The bench was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by S Kamaraj, a retired professor from Coimbatore, who alleged that his two “well-educated daughters,” aged 42 and 39, had been “brainwashed” into residing at the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore. Kamaraj claimed that the Foundation’s authorities had restricted his daughters from maintaining any contact with their family.
Kamaraj also informed the Court about multiple criminal cases and allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct pending against the Isha Foundation.
Both women were present in court as per a prior order and stated that they were staying at the Foundation of their own volition, with no external pressure. However, the judges decided to speak with them privately in the chambers.
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The Court subsequently expressed “further doubts” and questioned the counsel representing the Isha Foundation on why Jaggi Vasudev encouraging other women to renounce worldly life, while “his own daughter was married and well settled.”
The matter scheduled for further hearing on October 4.
Advocates M Purushothoman and M Prabaharan represented the petitioner, Kamaraj. Additional Public Prosecutor E Raj Thilak appeared for the respondent, the State government, while Advocates M Suresh and S Rajendra Kumar appeared on behalf of the Isha Foundation.
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