The police on Tuesday evening swooped on the Dhyanapeetam of Nithyananda here to arrest the self-styled godman and seal the ashram, on the orders of Karnataka Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda, but he was not found there. The police suspect that he could have taken shelter in the Madurai Adheenam, to which he was anointed as the 293 seer in April.
Over 150 police personnel, including women constables, and two platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police assisted the Ramanagaram district administration in search and seizure that commenced at 7 p.m. at the Dhyanapeetam.
Even as the police were guarding the premises, near Bidadi, a large number of documents, CDs, liquor bottles, condoms and other materials were found burnt near the south gate of the ashram on Tuesday morning. It is alleged that packets of contraband drugs, tablets and ganja were also burnt near the south gate. Officials at the spot were, however, tight-lipped on this.
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Superintendent of Police Anupam Agarwal said he would look into the alleged burning of materials. Another officer, requesting anonymity, said the police would take visuals of the remains of the burnt materials before collecting samples for investigation.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka police have decided to send special teams to Tamil Nadu to search for Nithyananda.
Informed sources said the Madurai police had noticed two cars with Karnataka registration, including the one used by Nithyananda, entering the Madurai Adheenam premises on Monday night.
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The police are also monitoring the movements of Nithyananda's associates. Ramanagaram Deputy SP K.G. Ramakrishna told The Hindu : “We have formed special teams to trace him and are probing the cases registered against him.”
Meanwhile, Nithyananda moved the Karnataka High Court seeking quashing of an FIR filed against him and others registered by the Bidadi police in connection with last week's violent incidents.