The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday gave the green signal to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to interrogate Nithyananda of Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam, besides subjecting him to medical tests to find out if he was capable of having sexual intercourse, and to collect his voice sample.
Justice S.N. Satyanarayana passed the order while dismissing Nithyananda’s petition, in which he had questioned the 2012 order passed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Ramanagaram.
The CID in February 2012 had filed charge sheet against him for offences such as rape, unnatural sex, criminal intimidation, and criminal conspiracy based on a complaint from a devotee.
As the CID, after filing of charge sheet, received complaint from more women devotees alleging rape, the investigating officer decided to continue the investigation and sought the court’s direction to Nithyananda to appear before the investigating officer and subject him to medical tests.
The CJM’s court on June 18, 2012 allowed CID’s plea and directed Nithyananda to subject himself to medical tests. However, on Nithyananda’s plea, the High Court stayed the permission granted to the CID by the CJM’s court in Ramanagaram.
While dismissing Nithyananda’s plea, the High Court on Wednesday upheld the order of the CJM’s court and permitted the CID to interrogate him.
Meanwhile, the High Court also dismissed the petitions filed by the other accused in the case — Nithya Bhakthananda, Nithya Sadananda, Manithya Sachitananda, and Nithya Sachitananda, who were said to have aided Nithyananda in committing the alleged crime.
