Police conduct search operation at Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation following Madras High Court order

On Tuesday, a large contingent of 150 police officers, led by an Additional Superintendent of Police from Coimbatore, initiated a search operation at the Isha Foundation's ashram in Thondamuthur. The operation, which follows a directive from the Madras High Court, seeks to investigate criminal complaints associated with the foundation. Alongside the Additional Superintendent, the team included three Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), with the primary focus being the thorough inspection of the premises and verification of individuals residing at the ashram.

In response, Isha Foundation clarified that the police visit was part of a routine inquiry ordered by the court. "As per the court's directive, the police, including the SP, are here for a general inquiry. They are interacting with residents and volunteers to understand their way of life, how they came to stay at the center, and their daily routines," the foundation said in a statement.

The search follows a habeas corpus petition filed by Dr. S. Kamaraj, a retired professor, who alleged that his two daughters, Geetha (42) and Latha (39), were being forcibly detained at the foundation’s Coimbatore center. Kamaraj claimed the foundation brainwashed individuals into becoming monks and severely restricted their contact with family members.

The case raised concerns from Justices S.M. Subramaniam and V. Sivagnanam of the Madras High Court, who questioned the practices of Isha Foundation's founder, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. They noted the contrast between Sadhguru’s personal life, in which he had his own daughter married and well-settled, and his alleged encouragement of other young women to renounce worldly life, shave their heads, and embrace a monastic lifestyle at his centers.

When presented in court, Kamaraj's daughters, who were accused of being held against their will, denied any such claim. Both women stated that their stay at the Isha Yoga Center was voluntary and that there was no coercion or confinement involved.

Kamaraj's petition also outlined the academic and professional backgrounds of his daughters prior to their involvement with the foundation. His elder daughter, Geetha, holds a postgraduate degree in mechatronics from a prestigious UK university and had been earning a substantial salary before her divorce in 2008. After her divorce, she began attending yoga sessions at Isha. Her younger sister, Latha, a software engineer, followed suit and eventually decided to make the center her permanent home. The petition further alleged that the foundation administered food and medicine that impaired their cognitive abilities, causing them to cut ties with their family.

The court order acknowledged the petitioner’s claims, which included accusations that the foundation manipulated individuals into becoming monks and prohibited their families from visiting them. The petition also referenced a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case against a doctor working at the foundation, who was accused of molesting 12 girls attending a nearby Adivasi Government School.

Despite the daughters’ insistence that their decision to stay at the center was entirely voluntary, the court remained skeptical. Justice Sivagnanam questioned the motivations behind Sadhguru’s practices, asking why someone who had settled his own daughter into marriage would encourage others’ daughters to take up a monastic life. "That is the doubt," remarked the judge.

Representing the Isha Foundation, lawyer K. Rajendra Kumar argued that adults have the right to make their own decisions, including choosing a spiritual path, and that the court's inquiry into such personal choices was unnecessary.

Justice Subramaniam, however, emphasized that the court’s role was to ensure justice for all parties. "This court is neither for nor against anybody. We only want to do justice to the litigants before us," he said.

The court also noted the strained relationship between the daughters and their parents. Addressing the daughters, Justice Subramaniam remarked, "You claim to be on the path of spirituality. Don’t you think neglecting your parents is a sin? The principle of devotion is to ‘Love all and hate none,’ but we sense animosity in your interactions with your parents."

Petitioner’s counsel, M. Purushothaman, highlighted past criminal cases involving Isha Foundation, suggesting a history of misconduct.

Following the court proceedings, Additional Public Prosecutor E. Raj Thilak was directed to submit a comprehensive status report by October 4, detailing any ongoing criminal cases against the foundation.

Isha Foundation, in its defense, maintained that joining the monastic life is a personal choice, stating that only a few residents of the ashram choose to become monks. They also clarified that a previous attempt by Kamaraj and others to trespass on the foundation’s premises under the guise of a fact-finding mission had led to legal action. The foundation further emphasized that no criminal cases, aside from the aforementioned incidents, were pending against them.