Verdict on criminal plea filed by godman reserved

The High Court on Thursday reserved the verdict on a criminal petition filed by self-styled godman Nityananda seeking quashing of an FIR against him on a complaint filed by a television channel reporter alleging threat and assault by ashramites at his ashram.

Justice K N Keshavanarayana reserved his judgement on the criminal petition after completion of arguments. Nithyananda had filed the petition seeking quashing of an FIR filed against him by the Bidadi police on a complaint filed by a Kannada channel reporter alleging threat and assault by the ashramites during a press conference in his ashram last year.

Nithyananda is facing a CID probe into charges of rape and criminal intimidation levelled against him in 2010 after some TV channels telecast purported video footage of the self-styled godman in a compromising position with an actress. 

He is already embroiled in a spate of criminal cases, including rape and physical assault. His ashram was raided in June last year by police in the wake of a US-based woman alleging she was sexually abused by him over a five-year period.