swami stonewalls sleuths🔗

FALL FROM GRACE: CID officers hope Nithyananda will speak up once he understands the gravity of charges slapped on him

© MOHAN KUMAR BN

Tainted godman was trying to be the next Osho Rajneesh

CID officers, who went through non-disclosure agreements signed between the Dhyanapeet Charitable Trust and the swami's disciples, felt Nithyananda Paramahamsa had been trying to ape Osho Rajneesh, whose advocacy of an open attitude towards sexuality earned him the sobriquet "sex guru" in the Indian and international press.

"The neo-sanyasins (disciples of Osho) were never made to sign an agreement. This type of agreement cannot be construed as an 'open consent' by any individual to have sex or sexual activities. The whole case will be revolving around this agreement he had got signed by his disciples and he cannot escape any liability from his or disciples' acts," the officer said.

He added that the agreement was not legally binding in the country, as there could not be an agreement for any open sexual activity.

The agreement suggested that volunteers would be exposed to sexual content, besides close physical proximity and intimacy.

We will be playing the same CD to him, so that he would understand the gravity of the case. His health condition is good."

INVESTIGATING OFFICER CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT

the case. His health condition is good according to the doctors of Ramanagara Government Hospital," the officer said. Only senior officers were interrogating the swami.

The swami was provided a diet of dry fruit and idlis.

Meanwhile, the high court of Karnataka, adjourned the hearing on a writ petition by Nithyananda to May 28.

The petition was filed to quash the first information report filed by the Bidadi police. Nithyananda had also sought a stay on all legal proceedings against him.

The swami's counsel, Chandramouli, requested the court to shift the case to a vacation bench. Justice Arali Nagraj observed that there was no such practice and adjourned the case to May 28.

The court, however, noted that the petitioner was in police custody and if there was any urgency in the matter, the case may be posted before the vacation bench.

In a related development, the superintendent of police (CID) KN Yogappa submitted the remand order issued by the Ramanagara district magistrate before the high court. The court had, on Wednesday, directed the investing officer to submit the order, along with the details of the arrest.

According to a previous order by the lower court, Yogappa had obtained a search warrant on April 3, and the CID raided the swami's ashram at Bidadi. On the April 22, in another search, 22 computer hard disks and evidence were collected from the ashram.

The CID officer also submitted before the high court that he had recorded the statements of 35 witnesses. Nithyananda was produced before the chief judicial magistrate Pushpalatha in Ramanagara on Thursday.

Nithyananda was arrested from Solan district in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday, where he had been staying incognito with a few disciples, at a house belonging to a Delhi-based businessman.

He was flown down to Bangalore on Thursday, and immediately whisked away to Ramanagara amid tight security. He was later brought back to the CID headquarters later in the night.

The swami was facing charges of causing hurt to religious feelings, rape, sodomy, criminal intimidation and conspiracy.

Douglas McKellor, a US national, had lodged a case against the swami with the California attorney-general, accusing him of fraud, financial irregularities and physical abuse. [email protected], [email protected]