The daughters were allegedly shifted to another institution in Nithyananda ashram in Ahmedabad without couple consent
A couple from Bangaluru has filed a case against self-styled godman, Swami Nithyananda alleging of ‘illegally confining’ there two daughters. A petition has been filed in the Gujarat High Court by the couple seeking for their two daughters back and safety of their lives who are in ashram set up by Nithyananda.
The petitioners, Janardana Sharma, and his wife, in their habeas corpus petition, said, ‘We had admitted our four daughters in an educational institution run by the godman in Bengaluru in 2013 when they were in the age group of 7-15’.
However, their daughters were allegedly shifted to another institution in his ashram in Ahmedabad without our consent. When they learned about this, that their daughters were this year shifted to another branch of Nithyananda Dhyanapeetham, named Yogini Sarvagyapeetham, situated on the premises of Delhi Public School in Ahmedabad, they rushed to Ahmedabad and tried to meet them, but the officials in the place did not allow them inside.
When the officials of the institute refused to let them meet their daughters, the petitioners first went to the local police to seek help. The couple were successful to bring back their two daughters out of four who are minor but still the elder and the second one is still in the ashram. The two minors were rescued with the help of police and the Protection of Child Rights Commission. Lopamudra Janardhana Sharma (21) and Nandhita (18) refused to come with them.
Based on the Sharma family’s complaint, the Ahmedabad Rural police lodged an FIR against Nithyananda and other officials of the Ashram. “Our team is probing the matter,” Ahmedabad (Rural) Superintendent of Police R.V. Asari said.
The couple alleged that their two younger daughters were kidnapped and kept in illegal confinement for more than two weeks and were deprived of sleep.
The Sharmas have urged the court to direct the police as well the institute’s authorities to produce their daughters, who, they alleged, are being kept under “illegal confinement,” before the court and hand them over to them.
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Meanwhile, the Gujarat Congress slammed the BJP government in the State for not initiating action against Nithyananda Ashram. “It is a well-known fact that Nithyananda enjoys protection from the State government despite the fact that many children are being confined in the ashram against the wishes of their parents”, Gujarat Congress spokesman Manish Doshi said.
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