The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday, while hearing a plea seeking to restrain controversial godman Nityananda from entering the 1500-year-old Madurai Adheenam, questioned how Nityananda could claim to be the head of the adheenam.
Justice R. Mahadevan observed that when the 292nd head was still alive, how could Nityananda claim to be the 293rd head and why a contempt notice should not be issued to him for the claim. The court posted the case for orders on January 3.
Nityananda, in his counter-affidavit, claimed that his appointment as the 293rd ‘Guru Mahasannidhanam’ was as per customs of the adheenam.
The petition filed by M. Jagathalapradapan, founder-trustee of Madurai Meenakshi Children’s Trust, sought a direction to prevent Nityananda from entering the mutt and interfering with its administration.
The petitioner had alleged that Nityananda’s style of worship was not connected to the Saivite tradition of the mutt and he had a hidden agenda to capture the mutt and swindle its properties.
The court had earlier restrained Nityananda and his disciples from entering the mutt and interfering with its affairs.
