Supreme Court Restrains TN Police Enquiry Against Sadhguru's Isha Yoga Centre, Transfers Petition From Madras HC

The Supreme Court on Thursday (October 3) restrained the Tamil Nadu police from conducting any further enquiry against the Isha Yoga Centre run by spiritual leader Sadhgur at Coimbatore pursuant to the directions issued by the Madras High Court.

The Court transferred the habeas corpus petition, in which the High Court passed the order, from the High Court to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court further asked the Police to submit the status report to it. The matter will be next heard on October 18.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra passed the order after an urgent hearing requested by Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, for the Isha Foundation.

"Police shall not take any further action in pursuance of directions in paragraph 4 of the High Court's order," the Court ordered. For reference, para 4 of the HC order said, "With reference to the said allegations, Coimbatore Rural Police having jurisidiction shall conduct an enquiry and file a status report before this Court."

Rohatgi sought an urgent hearing today itself, though the petition was not otherwise listed today, saying that a police team of about 150 officers entered the Ashram for investigation following the High Court's directions.

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, for the Union Government, supported the Isha Foundation's petition, saying that the High Court should have been more circumspect.

The Madras High Court passed the order on September 30 on a habeas corpus petition filed by a father alleging that his two daughters(presently aged 42 and 39 years) were being held captive in the Isha Yoga Centre run by Sadhguru and being brainwashed there.

Although the daughters appeared before the High Court and submitted that they were staying in the Ashram on their own volition, the High Court observed that there were serious allegations against the institution, and sought the details of the criminal cases against the Isha Foundation.

The High Court also directed the Coimbatore police to investigate the allegations of a POCSO Case against a doctor in the institution and other allegations about detaining persons.

Before the Supreme Court, Rohatgi said that when the daughters told the High Court that they were staying in the Ashram on their own volition, the purpose of the habeas corpus petition was over and the High Court should not have passed further directions. He added that eight years ago, the mother of the women had filed a similar habeas corpus petition which was closed after the women stated that they are staying there on free will.

Rohatgi said that after the High Court's order, a police team of 150 personnel reached the Ashram where over 5000 people are staying.

"You cannot let an army or police into an establishment like this," CJI observed orally.

Rohatgi said that the two women are available online for interaction with the bench. Following this, the bench retired to the chambers for a virtual interaction with the two monks.

When the bench re-assembled after the interaction with the monks, CJI Chandrachud said that the two women informed that they were staying at the Ashram voluntarily. CJI also said that they have informed that the police team left the Ashram last night.

The bench recorded in the order the statement made by the two women monks that they are not facing any coercion in the Ashram and that they are free to travel; that their parents have visited them in the Ashram on several occasions. In fact, one of the women had participated in a 10-kilometer marathon run recently, the bench noted.

Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra, for the State of Tamil Nadu, informed the Court that the police team which visited the Ashram, included the health officers and child welfare committee members and denied the allegations in the petition about police forcing Ashram members to give handwritten complaints.

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