Supreme Court Stays High Court’s Order, Temporarily Halts Investigation Against Sadhguru.

In a significant relief for spiritual leader Sadhguru and his Isha Foundation, the Supreme Court has put a temporary halt to the Madras High Court’s directive, which had ordered Tamil Nadu police to investigate allegations against the foundation. The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, issued this stay order after the foundation filed a petition challenging the high court’s judgment. This development comes following a surprising police action earlier in the week, where hundreds of officers reportedly stormed the foundation’s premises in Coimbatore on Tuesday.

Investigation Against Sadhguru.

The case, which has drawn significant attention, centers around allegations made by retired professor S Kamaraj, who claimed that his two daughters, Geeta and Lata, had been “brainwashed” by the Isha Foundation. According to Kamaraj, the women had been residing at the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore for several years without maintaining contact with their family. This, he argued, was a direct result of the foundation’s influence over them. As a result, the Madras High Court had ordered an investigation into the foundation and its practices, leading to the police’s recent actions.

However, Isha Foundation has categorically denied the accusations, asserting that Geeta and Lata, aged 39 and 42 respectively, had chosen to live at the yoga center of their own free will. The foundation further argued that there was no coercion involved, and that the women were independent adults fully capable of making their own decisions. To bolster this claim, the women themselves appeared in court and confirmed that they were staying at the center voluntarily, rejecting their father’s claims of brainwashing or isolation.

The police action and subsequent court proceedings came after Kamaraj’s petition led to widespread controversy and speculation about the operations of the Isha Foundation, which is one of India’s most well-known spiritual organizations. The foundation’s teachings, led by Sadhguru, have garnered millions of followers worldwide, but it has also faced criticism and legal challenges over the years. In this case, Kamaraj’s claims that his daughters were being held against their will fueled concerns about the organization’s influence on its members.

In response to the police raid and the high court’s order, the Isha Foundation filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, challenging the legal grounds for the investigation. Representing the foundation, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi argued that the allegations were baseless and that the incidents described in the complaint did not occur on the foundation’s campus. Rohatgi also pointed out that the foundation had cooperated fully with the investigation, and that the women’s testimony in court confirmed their voluntary stay.

During the hearing, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, who was presiding over the case along with Justice JB Pardiwala, expressed concern over the nature of the police raid. The Chief Justice remarked, “The first thing is that you cannot let an army of police in the establishment like this… what we will do is ask a judicial officer to visit the premises and talk to these two inmates.” His comments reflected a broader concern about the manner in which the investigation was being conducted, particularly given the high-profile nature of the case and the potential impact on the foundation’s reputation.

One of the pivotal moments during the hearing came when one of the women involved in the case made a virtual appearance before the Supreme Court. She reiterated that she and her sister were residing at the ashram of their own volition, and had not been coerced or brainwashed as their father claimed. She also revealed that their father had been harassing them for several years, further complicating the family dynamic and raising questions about the motivation behind the petition.

The court’s decision to stay the investigation temporarily provides a reprieve for the Isha Foundation, which has consistently maintained its innocence in the matter. However, Chief Justice Chandrachud also emphasized the need for continued scrutiny of the situation, noting that there had been a separate allegation of child abuse at the foundation’s ashram under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. While the foundation denied any connection to the incident, the court insisted that the investigation into these allegations must continue.

In a bid to ensure a fair and transparent resolution to the case, the Supreme Court has requested a status report from the Tamil Nadu police. The bench also inquired whether Geeta and Lata were available for further questioning via video conferencing. Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi confirmed that both women were willing to participate in the proceedings if required.

The case took an additional turn when the court learned that a similar plea had been filed by the women’s mother nearly eight years ago, raising further questions about the long-standing family dispute. The Chief Justice suggested that both women be interviewed privately in chambers to allow for an unfiltered account of their experiences. He stated, “We would like to hear both monks in the chamber and come back in five minutes,” underscoring the importance of understanding their side of the story in full.

Ultimately, the Supreme Court’s intervention has paused the immediate investigation against the Isha Foundation, but the legal battle is far from over. The court’s directive for further inquiry, along with its decision to speak with the women directly, indicates that the case will continue to unfold in the coming weeks. For now, the foundation has secured temporary relief, but the larger questions surrounding the allegations and the family’s dispute remain unresolved.

Refrence by NDTV

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