Isha Foundation row: SC transfers plea from HC to itself, asks cops not to take further action

PTI, Oct 3, 2024, 12:59 PM IST

New Delhi: In a relief for Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Foundation, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Tamil Nadu Police to not act further in pursuance of the Madras High Court order asking it to probe alleged illegal confinement of two women at its ashram.

The apex court transferred to itself a habeas corpus petition filed before the high court by a man, who had alleged that his two daughters were held captive inside the premises of the Isha Foundation.

A habeas corpus petition is filed seeking direction to produce before the court a person who is missing or has been illegally detained.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud passed the order after Isha Foundation approached the apex court challenging the Madras High Court’s September 30 order directing the Coimbatore Police to collect all case details registered against the Foundation and produce them before the court for further consideration.

The bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, directed that the police shall not take any further action in pursuance to the high court’s order.

It said the police will file the status report, as directed by the high court, before the top court.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Foundation, sought a stay of the high court order, and said around 150 police officials have entered the Foundation’s ashram and are probing every corner.

The bench, which interacted with the two women in chambers through video-conferencing, were told that police has left the ashram on Wednesday night.

It said the two women have also informed the court that they were residing at the foundation voluntarily.

The apex court said the matter would be heard in the week commencing October 14.

During the hearing, the bench sought to inquire about the details from two women whose father had moved the high court alleging illegal confinement at the Isha Foundation.

The high court had on September 30 passed an interim order on a habeas corpus petition filed by Dr S Kamaraj, who sought a direction to the police to produce his two daughters, whom he alleged were held captive inside the Isha Foundation before the court and set them at liberty.

The petitioner was a retired professor from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. He has two daughters and both had masters in Engineering. Both of them joined the Isha Foundation.

The grievances of the petitioner was that the Foundation was abusing certain persons, by brainwashing and converting them as monks and not even allowing their parents and relatives to meet them.