The Supreme Court on October 3, halted the Madras High Court’s order to take police action against spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Foundation, providing significant relief. The apex court’s intervention came after the Foundation challenged the High Court’s directive for the Tamil Nadu government to submit details of all criminal cases registered against it. This stay comes in response to a challenge filed by the foundation, which alleged that the High Court’s directives were based on verbal allegations lacking substantial evidence.
The Madras High Court had previously ordered the Tamil Nadu government to provide details on any criminal cases registered against the Isha Foundation, following a habeas corpus petition filed by Dr. S. Kamaraj.
During the Supreme Court hearing, a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Mishra engaged directly with the two women involved. They expressed to the court that they were residing in the ashram of their own volition and were not being forcibly detained. This assertion led the court to determine that the matter warranted its intervention.
The Supreme Court’s order specified that the case would be transferred from the Madras High Court to itself, allowing the original petitioner to appear either virtually or through counsel. It also directed that any status reports submitted by the police should be presented to the Supreme Court, effectively halting any further police action based on the High Court’s previous directives.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Isha Foundation, emphasised the importance of religious freedom in this case. He argued that the High Court should not have initiated such an investigation solely based on verbal allegations, particularly against an organisation with a significant following like the Isha Foundation. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also lent his support to the foundation, cautioning the High Court against taking such drastic steps without concrete evidence.
The controversy surrounding the Isha Foundation intensified as the Madras High Court noted multiple criminal complaints and allegations of sexual harassment and abuse pending against the organisation. The court raised concerns about Sadhguru’s personal life, suggesting that doubts remained about his influence over the women at the ashram, particularly in light of allegations that he encouraged women to abandon worldly lives for monastic existence.
