Nithyananda ashram case: Two ‘missing’ women file affidavit from 4th country

The premises of the Nithyanand ashram in Ahmedabad. (File Photo)

An affidavit attested by the Indian High Commission at Kingston, Jamaica, was filed on Thursday at the Gujarat High Court (HC) by the two women who allegedly went missing from self-styled godman Nithyananda’s ashram. Their father, Janardhana Sharma, had filed a habeas corpus petition in November 2019, seeking the custody of his daughters. This is the fourth country that the missing adult daughters — Lopamudra and Nandhitha — are communicating from, to the court.

The first communication stated the sisters’ location as Trinidad in November 2019. Thereafter, an affidavit was filed from Virginia, which the court had refused to take on record as it was not as per stipulated format. An affidavit was then filed from Barbados, which the court had directed to be authenticated by the Indian High Commission. The latest affidavit, dated January 8, comes with a stamped disclaimer on every page, which states, “The High Commission of India does not take any responsibility for the contents of the documents.”

Janardhana’s lawyer Pritesh Shah said, “We asked for time to object to these affidavits in legal aspects. Attestation before High Commission only confirms the location and does not serve the purpose of determining whether someone is under illegal confinement or not. We will submit a written reply before January 24.”

The latest affidavit states the daughters’ denial of being under wrongful confinement, or ever being so in the past, and also of being under anyone’s influence.