Madras High Court asks State for details of criminal cases against Isha Foundation

The Madras High Court on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu government to submit details of all criminal cases registered against spiritual guru Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Foundation.

A bench of Justices SM Subramaniam and V Sivagnanam said that since there are multiple criminal complaints against the Foundation, the issue deserved further deliberation.

“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. Therefore, the petitioner shall produce the details of criminal cases registered against the institution and the learned Additional Public Prosecutor also shall collect all those case details and place before us for further consideration,” the High Court said.

The Court also expressed serious doubts about why Vasudev had given his daughter in marriage and made her settle well in life but was encouraging other women to renounce their material life.

“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 hermitess. That is the doubt,” the Bench orally remarked.

The bench was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by one S Kamaraj, a retired professor from Coimbatore.

Kamaraj moved the Court alleging that two of his “well-educated daughters” aged 42 and 39 years had been “brainwashed” to reside at the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore. The authorities at the Foundation did not permit them to maintain any contact with their families, Kamaraj told the Court.

He also informed the Court of several criminal cases and allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct pending against the Foundation.

Both women were also present in Court in compliance with its previous order. While they said they were at the Foundation willingly and that no one was forcing them to be there, the judges decided to interact with them in the chambers.

Thereafter, the Court said that it had “further doubts,” and asked the counsel appearing for the Foundation, why Jaggi Vasudev encouraged other women to renounce the worldly life even though “his own daughter was married and well settled.”

The Court will hear the matter further on October 4.

Advocates M Purushothoman and M Prabaharan appeared for the petitioner Kamaraj.

Additional Public Prosecutor E Raj Thilak appeared for the respondent State government.

Advocate M Suresh and Advocate S Rajendra Kumar appeared for the Isha Foundation.

[Read Order]