SC halts inquiry against Isha Foundation-run centre in TN
The case stems from a September 30 order of the high court directing the police to investigate allegations of illegal confinement at the ashram.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday halted further investigations by Tamil Nadu police at the Isha Foundation’s ashram in Thondamuthur, Coimbatore, and transferred the case from the Madras high court to itself.
The case stems from a September 30 order of the high court directing the police to investigate allegations of illegal confinement at the ashram. This prompted a large police force of 150 officers to enter the premises on Tuesday. The inquiry was initiated in response to a habeas corpus petition filed by a retired Coimbatore professor, who alleged that his daughters were being held at the ashram against their will. The high court had asked the police to provide details of all criminal cases against the Isha Foundation, which is founded by spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev.
However, the Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, suspended the high court’s order after interacting directly with the two women involved, aged 38 and 42, who categorically denied their father’s claims and confirmed that they were staying at the ashram voluntarily.
The bench, also comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, issued the order after both women appeared online, stating that they were residing at the ashram voluntarily while their father harassed them by filing the habeas corpus plea. According to the bench, the women made it clear there was no element of coercion or compulsion involved in their stay at the ashram, and they were free to leave at any time. It also noted that according to the women, the police left the ashram on Wednesday night.
Simultaneously, the bench observed that the high court had not provided any substantive reason for directing an inquiry into the Isha Foundation, questioning the legal basis for such an order.
The case originated when the father of the two women approached the high court, alleging that his daughters were being unlawfully confined by the Isha Foundation. Acting on his plea, the high court ordered an inquiry on September 30 to investigate the claims of alleged illegal confinement. Following this, police personnel visited the ashram, raising concerns and sparking controversy over the legality and basis of the high court’s order.
The Supreme Court took up the matter after the Isha Foundation challenged the high court’s directive, arguing that there was no reasonable ground to suggest the women were being held against their will. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Foundation, maintained that the police raid was unwarranted and based solely on unsubstantiated allegations. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union government, supported the Foundation’s plea, saying the high court order ought to be stayed for lacking any reason for directing the police to swoop down on the ashram.
During the hearing, the bench interacted directly with the two women in the chamber. Both women testified that they were staying at the ashram of their own volition and refuted the claims made by their father. The women emphasised that they were free to leave the ashram whenever they wished and that their stay was purely voluntary.
The bench noted that the testimony of the women left no room for doubt regarding their voluntary stay at the ashram. It proceeded to direct shifting of the case from the high court to itself and directed the Tamil Nadu police to submit its status report in the top court while restraining the police from taking any further action in the matter. The top court will take up the matter again on October 18.
Senior counsel Sidharth Luthra appeared for the state government, making a statement that the police followed the high court order and the enquiries at the ashram were conducted with all suitable measures and resources, including children protection officers.
The Isha Foundation, in a statement issued earlier this week, maintained that the police raid and the allegations of illegal confinement were baseless. The Foundation argued that the two women were long-standing members of the ashram community and had chosen to live there out of spiritual and personal preference.
In its appeal to the Supreme Court, the Foundation stressed that the high court’s order had not only damaged its reputation but also disrupted the peaceful functioning of the ashram. The Foundation claimed that the high court order was unjustified and violated the fundamental rights, including their right to privacy and to exercise their free will, of individuals residing in the ashram.
The plea further stressed that the rights and autonomy of individuals, including their freedom to choose where they live and practice their beliefs, must be respected. It highlighted that unless there is credible evidence of illegal confinement or coercion, courts and law enforcement agencies should exercise caution in intervening in the personal lives of individuals.