The Supreme Court has closed the case against Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev's Isha Foundation for holding two girls hostage.
A bench of CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra said on Friday that it was not appropriate for the Madras High Court to order an inquiry on such a petition. The police raid on the ashram was also wrong.
The court said that the plea of the girls' father is false, as both the girls are adults, aged 27 and 24 when they went to the ashram. He lives in the ashram of his own free will. The court also said that the effect of this decision will be limited to this case only.
Retired Professor S Kamaraj filed a petition in the Madras High Court against Isha Foundation. He alleged that his daughters Lata and Geeta were kept hostage in the ashram.
On September 30, the High Court ordered an inquiry into the case and production of details of all criminal cases related to the Isha Foundation. The next day, on 1 October, around 150 policemen arrived at the foundation's headquarters.
Sadhguru challenged the High Court order in the Supreme Court. On October 3, the Supreme Court stayed the Madras High Court's order for a police probe against the foundation.
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In the previous hearing, the Supreme Court had asked the Tamil Nadu Police to submit the status report of the police investigation. Tamil Nadu Police presented the report today. Mukul Rohatgi presented arguments on behalf of Isha Foundation in the Supreme Court. At the same time, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra represented the Tamil Nadu government. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued on behalf of the Central Government.
- Mukul Rohatgi: In the status report of the Tamil Nadu Police, it is written that both the women have decided to stay there of their own free will. Both the women have said this in the court as well. In such a situation the case should be closed.
- Siddharth Luthra: The decision to close the case should not affect the police's right to investigate.
- Mukul Rohatgi: If the court makes a comment like Siddharth Lathura says, the comment will be misused by people targeting organizations like Isha Foundation.
- SG Tushar Mehta: Support Rohatgi's contention. What is shown in the FIR is different from the reality. If the court makes a comment like Siddharth Lathura says then clickbait running media houses will publish false headlines.
- Siddharth Luthra: Police raids revealed that many rules were not followed at the foundation. An internal grievance committee has also not been constituted. The license of the X-ray machine has also expired.
- CJI Chandrachud: It should be clear that the closure of this case should not affect any other case of the Foundation.
- Kamaraj: We applied when the daughters asked about going on a fast unto death.
- CJI Chandrachud: Parents should win the hearts of their adult children instead of making such requests. No matter how angry, daughters are adults. We cannot impose our decisions on them.
- Kamaraj: An inquiry should be made into the condition of the people living in the Ashram.
- CJI Chandrachud : Now I doubt it. Are you speaking on behalf of a political party?
- S.G. Tushar Mehta: A father's love is only a show.
- Kamaraj: We are old. I am 70 years old. My wife is 65 years old. We see news of molestation in newspaper every day. We have nightmares about our daughters.
- CJI Chandrachud: You go there and meet them, we will not send the police, there is no question of sending the police.
Read full case step by step…
Petitioner's allegation- Daughters held hostage, brainwashed S Kamaraj, retired professor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, said that the ashram has taken their daughters hostage. They should be released immediately. Kamaraj said in his application that-
Isha Foundation brainwashed the daughters, due to which they became sadhus. The daughters are being given food and medicine. Because of this, his power to think and understand has ended. Ever since our daughters left us, our lives have become hell.
About 150 policemen reached the foundation's headquarters on October 1 following an order from the Madras High Court.
Kamaraj's elder daughter Geeta has done M.Tech from a university in England. He got a job in the same university in 2004 with a salary of around 1 lakh rupees. After her divorce in 2008, she started attending yoga classes at the Isha Foundation.
After this, Geeta's younger sister Lata also started living with her in the Isha Foundation. Both the sisters have changed their names and now refuse to even meet their parents.
Daughters said – We live in the foundation of our own free will During the hearing in the Madras High Court, both daughters of Kamaraj were also present in the Madras High Court. Both said that they live in Isha Foundation of their own free will. They are not kept in captivity. The Isha Foundation also claimed that both of them stayed with her voluntarily.
Adults have the freedom to choose their own path, the foundation said. We do not insist on marriage or becoming a monk, as these are personal matters of people. Thousands of people who are not ascetics come to the Isha Yoga Center. There are some who have embraced celibacy or become hermits.
The foundation argued that the court could not extend the scope of the case. However, the court decided to inquire into the matter as the bench expressed some doubts in the matter.
The High Court said – He who marries his daughters is making others monks On October 30, the Madras High Court asked Sadhguru, “When you have got your daughter married, why are you encouraging the daughters of others to shave their heads and renounce the world and live like ascetics?” The case was heard by Justice SM. A bench of Subramaniam and Justice V Sivagananam did.
Justice Subramaniam told Isha Foundation that you will not understand because you are appearing in a special party. This court is neither for anyone nor against anyone. We only want to give justice to the petitioner.
After this, around 150 policemen reached the foundation's headquarters on October 1. At the same time, Sadhguru challenged the order of the High Court in the Supreme Court, on which the Supreme Court stayed the order of the High Court. The next hearing was given on October 18.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
