The Supreme Court on Thursday restrained the Tamil Nadu police from taking any further action against the Isha Foundation led by spiritual guru Jaggi Vasudev based on Madras High Court’s directions.
Stating “you can’t let the Army or the police into an institution like this”, the Supreme Court transferred to itself the petition pending before the Madras High Court in which the HC directed the police to report on criminal cases registered against the Isha Yoga Foundation of Sadhguru. A three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud also directed that the status report by the police in pursuance of the HC order be submitted to it.
Hearing the case, a bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra ordered, “Police shall not take any further action in pursuance of directions in paragraph 4 of the High Court’s order.” The HC had directed the Coimbatore district police to conduct an inquiry while hearing a petition by monks’ parents and file a status report.
The Madras High Court came down heavily on Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and his Isha Yoga foundation and ordered further probe by the police. As many as 150 police personnel conducted searches at Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore.
The habeas corpus petition filed by S. Kamaraj, a retired professor and the father of two girls who are allegedly at the foundation ashram against their will. Kamaraj in his petition before the Madras High Court said that his two daughters – Geetha Kamaraj (42) and Latha Kamaraj (39), were brainwashed by Sadhguru and the Isha Foundation and were forced into monastic life.
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Foundation, submitted before the bench that the ashram has a blemishless record and the two women who were alleged to have been held by force appeared before the Madras High Court and stated they were there on their own will. Representing the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta too said the Madras High Court should have been more circumspect before passing the order.
One of the women also appeared online before the bench initially and said they had appeared before the Madras High Court. “We are here at Isha Yoga Centre by our own will. And, we also told the honourable judge of the high court that this harassment from our father’s side has been continuing for the past 8 years.”
Later, the Supreme Court bench said it would interact with the two women online in their chamber. After interacting with the two women, CJI Chandrachud said they informed them that they were at the Isha Foundation ashram of their own will. The women also said the police were at the ashram for two days but left on Wednesday night.
