The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed all proceedings against the Isha Foundation, rejecting a petition by a father claiming his two daughters had been “brainwashed” into joining spiritual leader Sadhguru’s ashram in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The petition, which alleged unlawful detention, was overruled as the daughters—Geeta and Lata—were adults, residing at the ashram of their “own free will.”
A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud stated that the daughters, now 42 and 39, were living voluntarily at the ashram, thus nullifying the need for further legal intervention. The court emphasized that the purpose of the habeas corpus petition was fulfilled when both women appeared in court, and ruled that the Madras High Court’s earlier inquiry into the case was “completely inappropriate.”
The father had accused the ashram of denying the family contact with the daughters and claimed they had been manipulated into joining. However, one of the daughters appeared via video link before the Supreme Court and confirmed their willingness to reside at the ashram, accusing her father and mother of harassment for over eight years.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Isha Foundation, further argued that the Tamil Nadu Police’s own status report confirmed that the women were staying voluntarily.
Controversy Surrounding Isha Foundation
This ruling is limited to this specific case, with the Supreme Court acknowledging a separate issue concerning a doctor at the ashram who was recently charged with child abuse under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Additionally, Tamil Nadu Police had filed a counter-petition alleging several people who entered the ashram had gone missing, raising concerns about activities within the foundation.
While dismissing the father’s petition, the court advised him to “win their confidence” rather than attempt to “control” his adult daughters’ lives through legal petitions.
The ruling also paused further police investigations into the foundation, which had begun after a High Court order prompted raids on the ashram. The Isha Foundation has consistently denied all allegations against it, maintaining that its residents are there of their own volition.
