The Ramanagaram District Executive Magistrate B. Srirama Reddy, who is also the Deputy Commissioner, on Friday granted bail to self-styled godman Nithyananda, with certain conditions.
(A PTI report said he was released from the Mysore Central Prison late on Friday night. Police said devotees took him away in a vehicle to his ashram at Bidadi on the outskirts of Bangalore. After performing pooja there, he would leave for Madurai, they said.)
The head of the Dhyanapeetam in Bidadi was arrested on Wednesday in Ramanagaram when he arrived in court to file a bail petition. However, the court granted him bail on Thursday. Soon, a fresh complaint on charges of ‘disturbing the peace' was slapped on him.
While granting bail, the magistrate imposed a condition that he should not disturb the peace.
Public Prosecutor Nagaraj Reddy opposed bail to Nithyananda. The magistrate said the court would observe his activities and if he violated the bail condition, the court would confiscate the security and surety bonds.
Ramanagaram Superintendent of Police Anupam Agarwal told The Hindu that they were probing the charges against the godman. “We will continue searches at the Dhyanapeetam.”
Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court on Friday directed the Ramanagaram Superintendent of Police to appear before it on Monday in connection with a habeas corpus petition alleging illegal custody of Nithyananda.
A Division Bench comprising Justices Dilip B Bhosale and B.V. Pinto passed the order on the petition by Valli Ramanathan, an engineering graduate and disciple of Nithyananda.
Hearing adjourned
In another development, a single Bench of the High Court adjourned to Tuesday the hearing on the petitions filed by Nithyananda seeking quashing of the two First Information Reports registered against him last week.
