Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation 'searched' after father alleges daughters being held hostage

A team of 150 police officers carried out a search operation at the Isha Foundation’s ashram in Thondamuthur, Coimbatore, on Tuesday, October 1. This action was in response to a directive from the Madras High Court, which had requested a report on any criminal cases linked to the foundation. Led by an Assistant Deputy Superintendent of Police, the search involved three Deputy Superintendents and focused on ensuring the safety and well-being of the residents while inspecting the premises.

The search stemmed from a habeas corpus petition filed by Dr. S. Kamaraj, a retired professor. He claimed that his two daughters, Geetha (42) and Latha Kamaraj (39), were being held against their will at the Isha Foundation. According to Kamaraj, the foundation had brainwashed his daughters into renouncing their regular lives, forcing them into a monastic lifestyle and cutting off contact with their family.

In court, Kamaraj provided details about his daughters' previous successful careers before they became involved with the foundation. Geetha, a postgraduate in mechatronics from a prestigious UK university, worked in a high-paying job before her divorce in 2008. It was after this divorce that she began attending yoga classes at Isha. Her younger sister, Latha, a software engineer, soon joined her and also decided to live permanently at the ashram.

Kamaraj further alleged that the foundation administered food and medicines that dulled his daughters’ cognitive abilities, which led them to cut ties with their family. He also highlighted a recent case involving a doctor at the foundation, who was accused of molesting 12 girls at a government school, as evidence of potential misconduct at the organization.

In response, the daughters denied their father's claims, stating in court that they were staying at the ashram of their own free will. Despite this, the court, led by Justices S.M. Subramaniam and V. Sivagnanam, expressed scepticism. The judges questioned the apparent contradictions in Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev’s lifestyle, noting that while he had arranged for his daughter to marry and settle down, he was allegedly encouraging young women at the foundation to embrace monastic lives.

Isha Foundation defended itself through its counsel, arguing that the sisters had made their own decisions and that adults have the right to choose their paths. The foundation also issued a statement clarifying that it does not force anyone to marry or take up a monastic life, leaving such choices to individuals. They added that previous investigations against them had proven baseless and that the court had granted a stay on another related criminal complaint.

The court has now directed the Additional Public Prosecutor to submit a comprehensive report on the criminal cases against the foundation by October 4.

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