Coimbatore police conduct enquiry at Isha Foundation following Madras HC order

Chennai: Following a Madras High Court order asking the Tamil Nadu government and Coimbatore rural police to conduct an enquiry into various allegations against the Isha Foundation, a police team conducted a probe on Tuesday.

It may be recalled that the Madras High Court had directed the state government and Coimbatore rural police to conduct an inquiry on a plea filed by a retired Professor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Professor S. Kamaraj.

The court had also directed the Additional Public Prosecutor, E. Raj Thilak, to file a status report by October 4 listing out all the cases related to the Isha foundation.

The order came after Professor S. Kamaraj moved a habeas corpus petition in the Madras High Court stating that his two daughters were being kept forcefully at the Isha foundation and that he wanted the intervention of the court to bring them back home.

He had also prayed before the court that he had received a telephone call from his elder daughter stating that his younger daughter had said that she would fast unto death if their father stops his legal action against Isha Foundation.

The retired professor told the court that he feared for the lives of his daughters and requested the court to intervene in bringing his daughters back home.

Justice S.M. Subramaniam and Justice V. Sivagnanam of the Madras High Court had while hearing the case interacted with the daughters of the petitioner and decided to probe the case further.

Justice Subramaniam said that the court, exercising the writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution was expected to do complete justice and that it was necessary to get to the bottom of the case.

The court was responding to the argument by the petitioner’s lawyer, M. Purushothaman that there were multiple cases involving Isha Foundation and that a doctor who was serving in the foundation was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.

In response to the court’s order, on Tuesday, a team of sleuths from the Coimbatore police led by District Superintendent of Police K. Karthikeyan conducted an enquiry at the Isha foundation of Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev.

Police sources in Coimbatore told IANS that other than the SP, the team includes the District Social Welfare Officer, R. Ambika and other senior officials.

The investigation is underway at the foundation and its premises.