The Supreme Court on October 18 closed the habeas corpus petition filed by a father alleging that his two daughters were being held captive in the Isha Yoga Centre, run by spiritual leader spiritual guru Jaggi Vasudev, and being brainwashed there.
A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra noted they disposed of the case after taking into note the statements of the two daughters, aged 39 years and 42 years, are major and that they are voluntarily residing in Ashram, free to move out of Ashram etc.
Supreme Court disposes of a habeas corpus petition filed by a father alleging that his two daughters were being held captive in the Isha Yoga Centre and being brainwashed there.
Supreme Court takes into note statements of the two daughters, aged 39 years and 42 years, are major… pic.twitter.com/a2XbYOz1CM
— ANI (@ANI) October 18, 2024
The bench said no further directions in the habeas corpus are required, and it should be closed.
“Since both of them are adults and the purpose of habeas corpus was fulfilled, no further directions were needed from the High Court,” said the apex court.
Earlier, the top court had transferred the habeas corpus petition from the Madras High Court to itself. It had restrained the Tamil Nadu police from taking any further action against the Isha Yoga Centre at Coimbatore pursuant to the Madras High Court directions.
The foundation had moved the apex court, challenging the Madras High Court’s order to direct the police to conduct an inquiry inside the Ashram in a habeas corpus petition.
During the hearing today, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Isha Foundation, took objection to the High Court passing directions to the police instead of closing the habeas corpus petition.
The bench told counsel for the father of the women, “When you have grown children who are majors, you cannot file a complaint to control their lives.”
A habeas corpus petition was filed by S Kamaraj, a retired professor from Coimbatore, in the High Court, alleging his two daughters were brainwashed to live at the Isha Yoga Centre and the foundation wasn’t allowing them to remain in contact with their family.
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