Bangalore, April 24: The alleged sex scandal involving self-styled godman Swami Nityananda got bizarre with purported agreements signed by women devotees for learning and practice of ‘ancient tantrik secrets’ including nudity and sexual activity coming to light.
32-year-old Nityananda, arrested in Himachal Pradesh along with four others, was brought to Bangalore last night and interrogated by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for a few hours today but no details were available with sources in the agency saying nothing could be revealed “at this stage”.
A man hurled a slipper at Nityananda as he was being taken in a police van after being produced before a court in Ramanagara, 40 km from here, last night. Nityananda faced criminal charges, including rape and hurting religious sentiments.
About 50 to 60 onlookers had gathered outside the Judicial Magistrate’s home and as soon as Nityananda came out, an onlooker flung a slipper and yelled at him, hurling expletives, a police official said. Nityananda and his close associate Nitya Bhaktananda were remanded to police custody for four days.
CID sources said several women volunteers had voluntarily signed the ‘non-disclosure’ agreements that raised questions of sleaze at his ashram Dhyanapeetam at Bidadi near here run by Nityananda.
The women devotees that included some Non Resident Indians, who signed the agreement, had reportedly pledged that they would not disclose details of their activity to others, sources said.
Sources said Nityanandan was likely to be taken to his ashram tomorrow.
CID, which is probing the case, has already seized computers and hard discs from the Ashram.
The arrest of Nityananda and his associates came in a joint operation by Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh police teams, a month after he remained in hiding.
The self-styled godman landed in a controversy last month after TV channels telecast purported video footage showing him in a compromising position with a Tamil actress.
Tamil Nadu police had registered cases for various crimes, including rape, against Nityananda before transferring them to Karnataka.
Rejecting the allegations, Nityananda had announced recently that he would lead a life of “spiritual seclusion”. He has quit as head of his ashram .
-PTI