Godman Swami Nithyananda allegedly caught on tape having a romp with an unidentified Tamil actress
Swami Nithyananda, a godman from Tamil Nadu, has been allegedly caught on tape having a romp with a Tamil actress. Sun TV, the news channel that broadcasted the video, has not revealed the location where it was shot.
His ashram at Bidadi near Bangalore has rubbished the tape saying it was doctored, and the godman has gone "missing". The manager of the ashram, Sevananda, filed a complaint with the police, stating he had received calls from Chennai threatening to "expose" the Swami, who hails from Thiruvanamalai in Tamil Nadu. Apparently the caller had demanded money for not releasing it.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said a probe will be initiated into the incident. He said the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department "will see what action can be taken in such cases."
Advocates of the Madras High Court filed a complaint with the Chennai police commissioner, seeking action against Nithyananda. Rama Sivasankar, one of the advocates, said action was sought under Sec 294(b) IPC, which relates to obscenity. Meanwhile, activists of "Jaya Karnataka", an organisation founded by former underworld don Muthappa Rai, went on a rampage at the ashram building, alleging that Rai's name was being misused to threaten devotees.
Protests broke out in different parts of Tamil Nadu, demanding the arrest of Swami and the shut down of his ashrams. Protesters burnt his effigies in Coimbatore and Kumbakonam, while some of Swami's posters were torn down in Tiruvannamalai. At Coimbatore, the Hindu Makkal Katchi and Periyar Dravida Kazhagam were among the groups that staged protests. About 25 persons were arrested in the violence.