Police raid Isha Foundation ashram in Coimbatore following Madras HC order

On October 1,2024, 150 policemen conducted an extensive search at the Isha Foundation ashram in Coimbatore, following a directive from the Madras High Court. The court had requested the police to gather and present all records of cases involving the foundation. The police team, which included senior officials, arrived at the ashram in Thondamuthur to carry out an inquiry into the residents and their
living arrangements.

The inquiry focused on verifying the details of the people residing at the ashram, including volunteers, and understanding their lifestyle and stay patterns. Isha Foundation, in its statement, clarified that
this was part of a general investigation by the police, as instructed by the court. The foundation emphasized that there was no misconduct, but rather routine checks and inquiries.

This police action followed a case brought to the court by a retired professor who claimed his daughters were allegedly influenced to remain at the ashram permanently. In response, the court raised concerns and questioned Isha Foundation’s leader, Sadhguru, about the ashram’s practices, particularly with young women.

A bench of Justices SM Subramaniam and V Sivagnanam posed the question for the Isha Foundation founder after S Kamaraj (69) a retired professor alleged that his two daughters had been “brainwashed” into permanently staying at the Isha Yoga Centre.

Kamaraj, a retired professor of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore, claimed that two of his well-educated daughters had been “brainwashed” to reside at the Isha Yoga Centre permanently.

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