The Coimbatore Police have provided a status report to the Supreme Court, covering cases related to Isha Foundation. The report spans incidents registered over a 15-year period. Isha Foundation established by Swami Jaggi Vasudev.
Chennai: The Coimbatore Police submitted a status report to the Supreme Court detailing cases registered over the past 15 years in connection with the Isha Foundation, founded by Swami Jaggi Vasudev. The 23-page report includes complaints, such as those involving “persons who came there for courses and were found missing, etc.”
The report, filed by K. Kartikeyan, Superintendent of Police, Coimbatore district, reveals that six missing person cases registered at the Alandurai Police Station, under whose jurisdiction the Isha Foundation falls. Of these, five cases were closed with “further action dropped.” One case remains under investigation, as the missing person has yet to be traced.
Additionally, seven cases were registered under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which pertains to police inquiries and reports on suicides.
The report noted,
“Out of which two cases are under investigation for want of forensic lab report,”
The report also mentions a complaint filed by a neighbor regarding a crematorium being constructed by the Isha Foundation, a matter currently pending in the Madras High Court. The crematorium is not operational as of now.
Among the more serious cases, the report details a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses) case filed by a local school principal against a doctor employed by ‘Isha Outreach.’ The doctor was arrested and denied bail, and the investigation is ongoing.
It also includes a complaint of sexual assault lodged by a woman at the Saket Police Station in Delhi. The incident reportedly took place during a yoga course at the Isha Yoga Centre in 2021. The complaint, initially filed as a zero FIR and transferred to Coimbatore Police, was later withdrawn by the woman. However, the police have indicated they will seek permission for further investigation, as her statement under Section 164 CrPC was not recorded, and the accused has neither been arrested nor questioned.
The status report also revealed that an FIR has been filed against the Isha Yoga Centre for allegedly encroaching on land allocated to tribal communities, and the case remains under investigation.
According to information provided by the Isha Foundation as of October 1, 2024, the Coimbatore Isha Yoga Centre houses 217 Brahmacharis, 2,455 volunteers, 891 paid staff members, 1,475 paid workers, 342 Isha Home School students, 175 Isha Samskriti students, 704 guests or volunteers, and 912 guests residing in cottages.
The police reported that they randomly questioned 558 individuals about food, safety, and other conditions at the Centre. This inquiry also included two women whose father had filed a habeas corpus petition in the Madras High Court, alleging that his daughters, aged 42 and 39, were being detained within the Foundation’s premises.
Child experts involved in the investigation suggested that there is a need for awareness programs on child helplines, children’s rights, and the POCSO Act. Psychiatrists observed that “some people have mood swings and they need time to observe them,” though their report remained inconclusive.
The Joint Director of Health Services, Coimbatore, provided a detailed assessment of the Isha Clinic, which holds a valid license until March 2027. However, the report raised concerns about expired medical equipment and an unqualified individual operating the X-ray machine.
While women interviewed by the police stated they were living at the Centre voluntarily, the report noted that the Internal Complaints Committee, mandated under the POSH Act, was “not functioning properly.”
Additionally, food samples from the Centre’s kitchen could not be collected for inspection.
The report concluded,
“The Brahmacharis have stated that they are free to go anywhere when they please and can meet their friends and relatives at any time,”
The Supreme Court is set to hear the case on October 18.