Police move Supreme Court in Swami Nithyananda case

The Supreme Court may next week consider a Karnataka police department’s petition challenging certain directions passed by the Karnataka high court in the Paramahamsa Nithyananda sex scandal case.

The high court had pulled up the investigating officer, superintendent of police (CID) KN Yogappa, for not completing the investigation. It also directed to expedite the probe, despite the sleuths explaining that some witnesses were now abroad.

The state government contested that though a court could examine the progress of the probe, it cannot compel the agency to speed it up.
On July 22, the high court had directed Yogappa to complete the probe within four weeks.

Meanwhile, a Nithyananda devotee filed a contempt of court petition against Yogappa. Anjula Jackson, residing at the Bidadi ashram, filed the petition after objecting to a statement by Yogappa, before the Ramanagaram court.

She stated that the officer defended Nithyananda's former driver, Karuppa Lenin, when she and others had gone to file a private complaint against him. In his affidavit, Yogappa had stated that Lenin had not commit any offence. He also said Nithyananda had instigated his ashram devotees to file cases against Lenin.