The video footage showing arrested self-styled godman Nityananda Swami in a compromising position with a Tamil actress is “genuine”, a top CID official said on Thursday. – CID
“The video footage is genuine. It is untampered and there is no indication of alteration in the video. As far as image comparison is concerned, that is still to be done,” CID’s Deputy IGP Charan Reddy said. Asked about efforts to trace the actress, Reddy said, “She is not an accused in this case. She will definitely come. When she comes, we will examine her. “The CD was sent to Central Forensic Science Laboratory Hyderabad for analysis where it was found to be authentic, he said. The case was entrusted to CID for investigation after the scandal broke out in March when some TV channels aired the purported video footage.Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court reserved for tomorrow its order on a bail plea by Nityananda, arrested on criminal charges, including rape, from Solan in Himachal Pradesh on April 21.
Public Prosecutor Satish R Girji told the court that the investigation was complete and since there was no material on record, they did not require Nityananda’s further custody.
Justice Subhash B. Adi then reserved orders for tomorrow.
The Madras High Court had stayed all criminal proceedings against Nityananda pending before a court at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu where a private complaint has been filed against the self-styled godman. – PTI, June 10, 2010
Nithy gets bail but can’t give public discourses
BIDADI / RAMANAGARAM: Self-styled `god man’ Nithyananda Swami was granted conditional bail by the Karnataka High Court on Friday after over 50 days in prison.However, the court has restrained him from conducting preaching sessions till the investigation against him is in progress.
When the court was informed that Nithyananda could not be released for two more days, over the weekend, it said the home office of the judge could be used to secure his release. Controversial “godman” Nithyananda Swami managed to get bail after spending more than 50 days in prison as the investigating agency failed to produce enough evidence to prove his guilt and also because the swami was no longer required for interrogation.
Justice Subash B. Adi granted conditional bail to the swami and his associate Bhaktananda on Friday after asking Nithyananda to furnish a bond for Rs 1 lakh and two local sureties. He will have to furnish them in a lower court in Ramanagara where cases including alleged rape (under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code) have been filed against him. When the court was reminded that the next two days are holidays and the release will be delayed by two more days, he said the home office of the judge can used for the purpose as a judge can hear the bail plea in his residence as well.
“A knife used to hurt somebody will heal one day. But when sentiments are hurt, it cannot be cured,” the court observed while granting the bail.
The court said though the investigation has been on for a long time, there have been no witnesses to prove Nithyananda’s guilt. – Deccan Chronicle, June 11, 2010
Sex swami out of jail, greeted with poorna kumbha
BIDADI / RAMANAGARAM: It was a poorna kumbha welcome on Saturday evening for godman Nithyananda who spent 52 days in Ramanagaram sub-jail before returning to his Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam Ashram near Bidadi. As he entered in a convoy, devotees held water-filled vessels on rice, which he touched before entering the temple within the ashram.
After high drama at Ramanagaram court, kept specially open from 12 noon till 5pm so that his bail formalities could be completed, he finally emerged from the jail around 6.15 pm. On Friday, the Karnataka High Court granted him conditional bail.
With folded hands and his trademark smile, he got into a waiting car amid tight security. Speaking to reporters after his convoy entered the ashram, Swami Bhaktananda said: “The swamiji would perform Pancha Thapasya on Sunday.” In this ritual, he will sit under the sun, surrounded by fire on four sides. During this period, he will have only one meal. His devotees Nithya Priyananda and Nithya Shanthananda told media persons that the devotees were happy to be in the presence of their master. “Our prayers have been answered. Devotees have stood by the ashram in testing times and we are thankful to them. We’re eager to take up social work which had stopped because the swamiji was not in the ashram,’’ they said.
Hectic activity prevailed near Ramanagaram jail on Saturday, with advocates of the godman scrambling to complete the bail process.
Ramanagaram district Chief Judicial Magistrate Pushpa Latha agreed to open the court considering it a special case. While the judge arrived around 12.30pm, lawyers arrived around 1pm. However, they had not brought the solvency certificate of the surety with them and they left to return around 1.45pm.
However, there were still some more procedures to be completed, as they had brought cash instead of demand draft of Rs 1 lakh. The court met again around 3pm and by 5pm, all the formalities were completed. By the time the court orders arrived at the prison, it was already 6.05 pm. – Times of India, June 13, 2010
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