The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to Ahmedabad Police in connection with a habeas corpus petition filed by a parent of two girls, who went missing from an ashram in the eastern part of the city.
The ashram–Yogini Sarvajnapeetham–run by self-styled godman Swami Nithyananda is located in the campus of Delhi Public School, East Ahmedabad.
Two days ago, Janardan Sarma, a resident of Tamil Nadu, had approached Ahmedabad Police claiming that four of his children, including two adult girls, were being forcefully kept in the ashram. According to police, the adult girls are not willing to go back with the parents. Two other children—a boy and a girl—were returned to the parents.
While the High Court issued notice to the Ahmedabad Police in this regard, the police on Wednesday arrested two key disciples of the godman, Sadhvi Pranpriyananda and Priyatatva Riddhi Kiran. They were sent to police custody for five days after they were presented before the court. Police said they want to probe the modus operandi of the godman and also look into various complaints. One of the complaints against the ashram is that it is pushing children into child labour.
Pritesh Shah, lawyer of the parent, said in the court how the girls were kept in confinement and demanded the custody of the girls. Further hearing in the habeas corpus writ will be held on November 26.
Meanwhile, after the issue came out in the public, DPS, East, canceled the lease agreement with the ashram. School principal Ratul Puri said on Wednesday that in light of the recent developments, residents of the ashram have been asked to vacate the premises in three months.
It has been reported that the lease was for a period of five years as the school authorities were apparently impressed with what was publicly projected as activities of the ashram.
Several agencies, including the Gujarat Commission of Protection of Child Rights, are looking into various issues related with the ashram. Foreign funding of the ashram is also being looked into.
Police sources said parents of children in the ashram are being contacted.
In the Asaram case too, there have been allegations of illegal confinement of children.