Bengaluru couple alleges daughters ‘illegally confined’ at Nithyananda’s ashram in Ahmedabad, HC rejects their plea

The Gujarat High Court disposed of their plea after the daughters said they were happy in the Ahmedabad ashram

November 19, 2019 02:44 pm | Updated February 07, 2024 03:57 pm IST - AHMEDABAD

 Self-styled godman Swami Nityananda, facing charges of sexually abusing devotees, addressing a press conference at his ashram at Bidadi near Bangalore on January 2, 2011.

Self-styled godman Swami Nityananda, facing charges of sexually abusing devotees, addressing a press conference at his ashram at Bidadi near Bangalore on January 2, 2011.

In February 2024, the Gujarat High Court has dismissed a man’s petition seeking production and release of his two daughters who he claimed were in the illegal confinement of self-proclaimed godman and fugitive Swami Nithyananda.

In its order issued on February 2, 2024 on the habeas corpus plea of Janardhana Sharma, the high court observed that his daughters are apparently happy and on a spiritual path at their place of residence.

A division bench of Justices A.Y. Kogje and Rajendra M. Sareen relied on the appearance of the man’s two daughters, aged 21 and 18, before the court on January 10, 2024 via a video link wherein they indicated they were not in any “illegal confinement” as claimed in the plea, and have consciously decided to follow the “spiritual path”.

The 2019 article:

Controversial self-styled godman, Swamy Nithyananda, has found himself in another controversy with allegations of “illegally confining” two daughters of a Bengaluru-based couple.

A petition has been filed in the Gujarat High Court by the couple seeking the court’s help to get back two daughters allegedly “illegally confined” from an ashram set up by Nithyananda, who faces rape charges. The petition is set to be heard by the court on Wednesday.

The petitioners, Janardana Sharma and his wife, in their habeas corpus petition said they had admitted their 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 their consent. When they learnt 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 officials of the institute refused to let them meet their daughters, the petitioners first sought the local police help. The couple could bring back their two minor daughters with the help of police and Protection of Child Rights Commission. But their elder daughters, 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.

In their petition, 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.

Cong. slams govt.

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 on Tuesday.

This article was originally published in 2019 based on the petition made by the alleged victims’ parents to the Gujarat High Court, who claimed their daughters were in the illegal confinement of self-proclaimed godman and fugitive Swami Nithyananda.. It has been updated on February 7, 2024, after the Gujarat High Court dismissed the petition.

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