Now, tapasya could land Nithyananda in prison

Self-styled godman Nithyananda Swami has courted fresh trouble for allegedly using kerosene meant for poor families during his meditation for penance and may face a seven-year jail term if convicted.

Nithyananda, out on bail on June 12 after remaining in jail for 53 days on rape and other criminal charges, resorted to the panchatapasya by meditating in a ring of fire at his Bidadi ashram in Ramanagara district, 30 km from Bangalore.

Officials of the food and civil supplies department on Wednesday seized 180 litres of blue kerosene stored at the ashram. “This is an offence under the Essential Commodities Act,” commissioner
HR Srinivasa told PTI. Blue kerosene, available under the public distribution system, is meant only for BPL ration card holders and those holding above-poverty line (APL) cards but possess no LPG connection, he said.

“Cases have now been booked against Nithyananda at Bidadi police station under sections six and seven of the Essential Commodities Act,” Srinivasa said. If convicted, he faces a maximum punishment of seven years’ rigorous imprisonment, with penalty.

Meanwhile, the ashram sought to distance itself from the episode. “There have been some remarks in media about the use of kerosene oil during the panchatapas yoga and unfortunately, some people are using this as a reason to harass the ashramites and stop the ashram’s spiritual activities,” a statement said. A source in the ashram, however, said that a decision has now been taken to use camphor in the meditation now on, and no longer use kerosene.

The seizure came in the wake of photographs showing disciples
pouring blue kerosene for a ring of fire, within which Nithyananda sat in meditation. The self-styled godman was arrested in Himachal Pradesh on April 21 after eluding police, who were on the lookout following a private TV channel telecasting a purported video footage of the godman in a compromising position with a Tamil actress.