Coimbatore Police has filed cases in the Supreme Court registered in connection with the Isha Foundation.
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev's Isha Foundation has been struggling with the 'illegal confinement' case filed against it. In the latest development in the case, the Tamil Nadu Police has said that many of the people who went to the foundation remain missing and untraceable.
In its counter petition filed before the Supreme Court, police said Isha Foundation's campus has a crematorium on its premises, adding that the hospital inside the foundation was issuing expired medicines to the inmates.
Coimbatore Police has filed cases in the Supreme Court registered in connection with the Isha Foundation. According to the 23-page report, the details include complaints about "persons who came there for courses and found missing, etc".
Coimbatore district's Superintendent of Police, K Karthikeyan, filed the report, informing that six missing persons cases were registered in the Alandurai Police Station regarding the Isha Foundation.
Of the six, five cases were closed as "further action was dropped" and one case is under investigation since "the missing person is not yet traced".
The status report noted that seven cases were registered under Section 174 (police to enquire and report on suicide, etc) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). "Out of which two cases are under investigation for want of forensic lab report," it added.
Police said a neighbour approached the Madras High Court for the removal of a crematorium being constructed by the Foundation. However, that case is also pending, the report said, adding that the crematorium was not functioning at present.
A local school principal registered a POCSO case against a doctor who was hired by 'Isha Outreach', IANS reported. The doctor was arrested and denied bail.
The status report also mentioned a complaint of sexual assault filed by a woman at Delhi's Saket Police Station. The woman had attended a yoga course at Isha Yoga Centre in 2021. She claimed that she was assaulted by a man, who was also a participant. The zero FIR was transferred to the Coimbatore Police.
Though the woman later withdrew the complaint, the police said they would seek permission to further investigate the case as the woman's statement under CrPC Section 164 was not recorded, adding that the accused was neither arrested nor interrogated.
Additionally, the report also mentioned that an FIR against Isha Yoga Centre for encroachment into land given to tribal people is also under probe.
According to the information received from the Foundation as of October 1, 2024, there were 217 Brahmacharis, 2,455 volunteers, 891 paid staff, 1,475 paid workers, 342 Isha Home School students, 175 Isha Samskriti students, 704 guests/volunteers and 912 guests living in the cottages at the Centre in Coimbatore.
Police also at random had enquired about the food, safety and other factors from 588 persons in the Foundation, the report added. Child experts in the enquiry team said there was a need for awareness programmes about child helplines, children's rights and the POCSO Act.
A detailed report about the Isha Clinic -- which had a valid license till March 2027 -- was provided by the Joint Director of Health Services, Coimbatore.
The report, however, raised concerns about medical equipment which crossed the period of expiry and a non-qualified person taking X-rays.
Though the women who spoke with the enquiry team said they were living at the Centre of their own volition, it was found that the Internal Complaints Committee formed under the POSH Act was not "functioning properly".
"The Brahmacharis have stated that they are free to go anywhere when they please and they meet their friends and relatives at any time they please," the police report said.
The Supreme Court meanwhile closed the habeas corpus petition filed by a father, who alleged that his two daughters were being illegally confined at Isha Yoga Centre. The top court said it was closing the case because the statements made by the two women -- presently aged 42 and 39 years respectively -- say that they are staying at the Foundation of their own volition.
A top court bench of CJI DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, noted that since both women are adults and the "purpose of habeas corpus was fulfilled, no further directions were needed from the High Court".
The bench noted, "The jurisdiction of the court under Article 226 while dealing with habeas corpus is well defined and it would be unnecessary for this court to expand the ambit."
"These proceedings cannot be malign people and malign institutions," the CJI said.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi for the Isha Foundation submitted that even as per the status report filed by the Tamil Nadu police, the two women monks are voluntarily staying there.
"In habeas corpus, what HC has done is unwarranted, this affects us, we have lakhs of followers..." Rohatgi submitted, a Live Law report said.
However, on the request of senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra -- appearing for the State of Tamil Nadu -- to clarify the closure of the petition, the top court said: "We clarify that the only aspect dealt here pertains to the habeas corpus petition and that aspect of the matter will remain closed."
"One thing which we have made clear is that we have not commented and the High Court should not have commented on other things," the CJI said.
Following the submission made by Luthra regarding the police visit, the bench observed, "It is clarified that the closure of these proceedings will not affect any other regulatory compliance in the Isha Foundation and Mr Rohatgi states that any such requirements will be duly complied."
Earlier this month, the non-profit spiritual organisation founded by Sadhguru moved the Supreme Court challenging the Madras HC order that had asked the Tamil Nadu police to probe criminal cases against it.
Appearing for Isha Foundation, senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, sought a stay on the HC order, informing the apex court that 500 policemen raided the organisation and are probing every corner.
The top court had then asked cops to file a status report before it, as directed by the Madras HC. The habeas corpus petition filed before the HC by a man alleging illegal confinement of his daughters at the Isha Foundation has also been transferred to the Supreme Court.
The man had said that his daughters -- both with masters of Engineering -- had been brainwashed and the organisation was converting them as monks, not allowing even their parents and relatives to meet them.