Police hold inquiry at Isha Foundation in Tamil Nadu following court orders

A strong contingent of 150 police personnel descended upon the Isha foundation here as part of an inquiry by the Coimbatore district superintendent of police after the Madras High Court sought a report from the Tamil Nadu government on all criminal cases registered against spiritual guru Jaggi Vasudev's institution.

The HC bench while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by S Kamaraj, a retired professor from Coimbatore, had directed the Tamil Nadu government to submit particulars on all the criminal cases registered against the Isha Foundation.

In his petition, Kamaraj alleged that his two daughters were "brainwashed to reside at the Isha Yoga Centre" in Coimbatore and that the foundation did not allow them to maintain any contact with their families.

The officials held an inquiry at the foundation, a senior police official said.

In response to the petition, Isha Foundation denied the allegations that it advocated monkhood, as this was individual choice.

"Isha Foundation was founded by Sadhguru to impart yoga and spirituality to people. We believe that adult individual human beings have the freedom and the wisdom to choose their path," the foundation said in a statement here.

“It was home to thousands who were not monks and a few who have taken Brahmacharya or monkhood. Despite this, the petitioner wanted the monks to be produced before the court and the monks have presented themselves before the court.

"They have clearly stated that they are staying in Isha Yoga Centre on their own volition. Now that the matter is in the court, we hope that truth will prevail and there is an end to all unnecessary controversies," the statement read.

It claimed that the petitioner and others tried to trespass into the premises under a false pretext of being a fact-finding committee to enquire about the crematorium being constructed by the foundation and they had filed a criminal complaint against the foundation.

The High Court had granted a stay on submission of the final report by the police.

"Apart from this, there is no other criminal case against the Foundation. Whoever indulges in spreading false information against the foundation will be strictly dealt with as per the law of the land," it said.