Nithyananda surrenders in Karnataka court, jailed for a day

Controversial godman Nithyananda today surrendered before a court in the Ramanagara district court today and was sent to jail for a day in connection with a case where his followers were accused of assaulting a reporter. The Karnataka High Court adjourned the godman’s plea seeking to quash the FIR filed against him to Friday, 15 June following which he appeared before the district court. [caption id=“attachment_342264” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Swami Nithyananda. Screen grab from CNN IBN”]  [/caption] Nithyananda’s ashram had earlier issued a press release on Wednesday saying he’ll be back at the Bidadi ashram on Thursday. The police were on the look out for Nithyananda over allegations of sexual abuse but the godman had claimed he was touring the state due to which he was absent from his ashram. The police are expected to arrest all those named in an FIR filed after an altercation between the media and his followers. The state government is also set to take over his ashram near Bangalore ordering his property to be searched and seized. On 8 June FIRs were filed on complaints from a regional TV channel reporter and activists of Nava Nirmana Sene in connection with an altercation at Nithyananda’s ashram in Ramanagara District. Nithyananda is facing criminal charges including rape, based on complaints made by former disciples last year. He was arrested and later released on bail. The reporter in his complaint against Nithyananda and four of his followers alleged that he was assaulted and threatened after he asked a question at a press conference convened by the godman to clear the air on charges of sexual abuse levelled against him by a US-based woman. with inputs from PTI