Nithya's ashram reopens

The Ramanagar district administration on Tuesday, handed over about 35 rooms in the Nithyananada Ashram, Bidadi - that were locked during the raid on June 12 - back to the godman’s devotees.

Regional Commissioner Shambhu Lal Meena, along with Ramanagar Deputy Commissioner Sriramareddy, Superintendent of Police Anupam Agarwal and tahsildar Dr Ravi Tirlapura visited the ashram and inspected the materials seized during the search on June 12 and 13.

The district administration returned the room keys to the ashramites. Sources say the police found no incriminating evidence against Nithyananda in the ashram during the raid.

Nithyananda’s case against the government will come up in the High Court on June 21 and this may have prompted the district administration to do a U-turn, say legal experts.

Nithyananda’s devotees, in a press release, termed the reopening as a victory to the Nithyananda’s fight against vested interests.