JOIN USThe petitioner had moved the High Court seeking directions to use the money which had been frozen by the banks on the directions of the State’s Crime Investigation Department. Accordingly, Nithyananda, requesting for reactivation said the bank accounts were nowhere connected with the case and sought directions to release the amount at the earliest. He submitted that the ashram requires Rs 49 lakh every month to run the show.
Justice Ajit Gunjal, who heard the matter, has ordered notice to the CID and ICICI bank, Corporation Bank and Canara Bank. During the course of investigation into the sex scandal involving Nithyananda and Tamil actress Ranjitha, the State CID discovered 12 bank accounts, one of which had a deposit of over US$ 7 million (Rs 32 crore).
These accounts, as well as financial dealings of the trust, are being probed by the Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax department. According to the State Police, the Tamil Nadu police when it booked the case had ordered these banks to freeze the accounts to avoid misuse of money.