Fri Oct 18 09:23:00 UTC 2024: ## Supreme Court Closes Proceedings in Isha Foundation Case, Daughters Confirm Voluntary Stay
**New Delhi, India** – The Supreme Court of India on Friday closed proceedings in a habeas corpus petition filed by a man who alleged his two daughters were being held captive at Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation in Coimbatore. The court confirmed that both daughters had informed them that they were living at the ashram “voluntarily and without any coercion.”
The court stated that the Madras High Court had exceeded its jurisdiction by continuing to investigate the matter even after recording the women’s statements. The Supreme Court emphasized that the only aspect addressed in these proceedings was the habeas corpus petition and that this order closed the case.
“Both individuals have attained the age of majority, and in fact had done so when they first joined the ashram,” stated the Supreme Court bench in its order. “Once they have expressed their clear inclination to continue at the Isha Yoga ashram in Coimbatore, the purpose of the habeas corpus petition is duly fulfilled, and no further directions were necessary by the High Court.”
The Supreme Court also noted that both daughters, Gita Kamaraj (39) and Latha Kamaraj (42), had joined the ashram when they were 24 and 27 years old, respectively. They confirmed in their interactions with the court that they were free to travel outside the ashram, which they had done periodically. One daughter even participated in a marathon run extending to about 10 kilometers in Hyderabad.
The bench further noted that the Tamil Nadu Police had conducted a probe into the affairs of the Sadhguru ashram, as per the Madras High Court orders, and submitted its status report to the Supreme Court.
This decision concludes a case that raised concerns about potential coercion and captivity within the Isha Foundation. The Supreme Court’s findings confirm the daughters’ freedom of choice and their voluntary decision to reside at the ashram.
First Piper 