Isha Foundation had denied the allegation…
New Delhi: On Friday, 18 October 2024, the Supreme Court canceled all proceedings against the Isha Foundation.
A father claims his two daughters had been "brainwashed" into joining spiritual leader Sadhguru's ashram in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore, and denied their family contact with them.
The court said the Madras High Court (HC) ordered an inquiry into the habeas corpus petition, after which police raided the ashram - acted in a "completely inappropriate" manner.
The petition - claiming unlawful detention of the women - was rejected as both Geeta and Lata were adults and living in the ashram of their "own free will", a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud ruled today. The order is for this case only, the court added.
Isha Foundation had denied the allegation and said the women - aged 42 and 39 - were willing residents.
They were produced in front of the High Court and affirmed the Foundation's statement; one of the women also appeared before the SC, through a video link.
She told the court her sister and she were willing residents and that their father had been harassing them for eight years.
Earlier this month the top court had transferred the case being heard by the High Court and halted an order directing police in Tamil Nadu to investigate the father's allegation.
Hundreds of cops then raided the Isha Foundation premises, prompting the appeal to the Supreme Court.
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