Daijiworld Media Network – Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, Nov 20: An FIR was registered against self-proclaimed godman Swami Nithyananda on the charges of kidnapping and wrongful confinement of children to make them collect donations from followers to run his ashram, the police informed in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, November 20.
Police also arrested two women disciples of Nithyananda Swamy on charges of allegedly kidnapping at least four children, keeping them in illegal confinement in an apartment and in ashram using them as child labourers to promote activities of the ashram and to collect donations.
Sadhvi Pranpriyananda and Priyatatva Riddhi Kiran are the two disciples who were arrested.
File photo
Nithyananda was booked and the arrests were made after the police recorded statements of the four children who were rescued.
Sadhvi Pran Priyananda and Priyatatva Riddhi Kiran are responsible for managing the ashram. Earlier two children in the age group of 9 and 10 years enrolled at the ashram told police that they were tortured and made to work as child labour and kept in an illegal confinement at an apartment in the city for over ten days.
Similar allegations were made by two other children rescued from the ashram on the basis of a complaint filed by their parents.
The rescued children told police that they were forced to take part in a religious ritual and were harassed. They were being made to work for the ashram by force to collect donation from followers by sharing and uploading various ritual materials.
Nithyananda Swamy is a godman from south India who has been involved in many controversies.