Citing religious freedom, SC stays Madras HC probe order against Isha Foundation

CHENNAI: Calling it as serious matter related to religious freedom, the Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Madras High Court order directing a police investigation against Spiritual Guru Jaggi Vasudev's Isha Foundation Ashram allegedly facing criminal complaints.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, while staying the order, said, "We stay the directions of the High Court to the police."

"These are issues of religious freedom. This is a very urgent and serious case," the court said.

The CJI said, "This is about Isha Foundation. There is Sadguru, who is very revered and has lakhs of followers. The High Court cannot start such enquiries on oral assertions," the bench said.

The stay order was passed after the foundation approached the Supreme Court against the High Court order directing the Tamil Nadu government to submit details of all registered criminal cases.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi mentioned before the bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, the petition by the foundation.

Rohatgi said that since Wednesday 500 people have been questioned. The order by the High Court was passed in a habeas corpus petition filed by S Kamaraj, a retired professor from Coimbatore.

Kamaj alleged that his two daughters aged 42 and 39 years had been "brainwashed" to reside at the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore.

The authorities at the Foundation do not permit them to maintain any contact with their families, Kamaraj had told the High Court.

He also informed the Court of several criminal cases and allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct pending against the Foundation.

The High Court said, "Since multiple criminal complaints against the Foundation are there, the issue deserved further deliberation."

The High Court also expressed serious doubts about why Vasudev had given his daughter in marriage and made her settle well in life but was encouraging other women to renounce their material life.

"We want to know why a person who had given his daughter in marriage and made her settle well in life is encouraging the daughters of others to tonsure their heads and live the life of a hermitess. That is the doubt," the Bench had orally remarked.

After the High Court order, police entered the Ashram and started interrogation. More than 500 people have been interrogated since last night, senior advocate Mukuk Rohatagi appearing for the foundation said.

(Inputs from UNI)