Major relief for Sadhguru: Indian Supreme Court dismisses case against his Isha Foundation

In a major relief to Sadhguru, the Indian Supreme Court (SC) on Friday (Oct 18)cancelled proceedings against his Isha Foundation over a petition that accused the organisation of brainwashing two women and denying their family contact with them.

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The petition was filed by a man who claimed that his two daughters were brainwashed into joining Sadhguru's ashram in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore. The man also accused that his daughters were denied contact with their family.

Petition rejected

A report by NDTV said that the man's petition was rejected by a Supreme Court Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud. The bench ruled that the petition was rejected as both the women were adults and were living in the ashramof their "own free will."

The bench said that the Madras High Court- which ordered an inquiry into thehabeas corpus petition, after which police raided the ashram - acted in a "completely inappropriate" manner.

'Neither of the women were minors...'

The Supreme Court bench reiterated its point that neither of the man's daughters were minors as they were aged 27 and 24 when they joined the ashram.

"Since both of them are adults and the purpose of habeas corpus was fulfilled, no further directions were needed from the (Madras) High Court,"the bench said in its order.

"The jurisdiction of the court under Article 226 while dealing with habeas corpus is well defined and it would be unnecessary for this court to expand the ambit," the bench added.

"These proceedings cannot be to malign people and malign institutions,"CJI Chandrachud orally said during the hearing.

The Madras High Courtdirected the police to conduct an inquiry inside the Ashram of 5,000 residents in a habeas corpus petition.

(With inputs from agencies)