CID files charge sheet against Nithyananda, four associates

Nov. 29: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has chargesheeted Nithyananda Swami for rape, unnatural sex, criminal intimidation and conspiracy. The 430-page-long chargesheet, which was filed on November 27 before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ramanagara, has charged the self-styled godman Nithyananda Swami, alias Raja Shekaran, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for rape (376), unnatural sex (377), cheating (417); criminal intimidation (506) and criminal conspiracy (120) (B) along with four of his disciples —Nithya Bhaktananda, alias Gopala Sri Seelam Reddy, for harbouring an offender (212) and criminal conspiracy (120) (B); Nithya Sachidananda, alias Shiva Vallabhaneni: for destroying evidence (201) and criminal conspiracy; Nithya Sadananda, alias Dhana Shekaran, for destroying evidence and criminal conspiracy, Maa Sachidananda, alias Ragini,: for assisting the accused in committing rape and unnatural sex.

“The CID submitted the chargesheet before the CJM, Ramanagara, against the five accused in the two cases registered in March by the Bidadi police station based on the complaints of Karupan Lenin and T.M. Vishwanath. The cases were subsequently handed over to the CID for investigation,” said the deputy inspector general of police (CID) K.S.R. Charan Reddy. The superintendent of police (CID) K.N. Yogappa, who is the investigating officer in this case, has so far examined 101 witnesses in India and abroad and collected more than 60 documents. According to the CID, during the course of the investigation, a victim deposed before the CID and stated that she was “repeatedly raped by Nithyananda not only at his ashram in Bidadi but in other parts of the country. The accused allegedly deceived the victim that if she subjected herself to his sexual demands she would achieve enlightenment and that sex with swamiji is the path to moksha,” states the chargesheet.

Her statement is part of the voluminous chargesheet, which also states that Mr Yogappa has seized a number of (non disclosure) agreements signed between the devotees and the ashram authorities taking consent of the devotees for taking part in Tantrik sex. Many more agreements were destroyed a few days before the case came to light, said Mr Reddy.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/bengaluru/nithyananda-chargesheeted-809