Expedite Nithyananda's extradition: MHA to K'taka govt

Union Home Ministry has asked the Karnataka government to consider steps to secure a Red Corner Notice against self-styled godman Nithyananda, according to a report by The News Minute.

The letter comes after a complaint lodged against Nithyananda by a Bengaluru woman accusing him of rape, and the mother of a woman who had died of unknown causes in inside his ashram.

The letter, seeking the Karnataka government, said that the extradition process of Nithyananda must be expedited and that if they are unable to track him, the CID and police can consider approaching the CBI, NCB, INTERPOL, New Delhi for getting a Red Corner Notice issued, according to the report.

The letter was written by Deputy Commandant (Legal) Anurag Kumar in the Union Home Ministry to Rajneesh Goel, Additional Chief Secretary to the Home Department, and was dated December 19, according to the report.

“In this regard, it is informed that if an accused person is in a foreign country, then for securing his presence for trial in India, the said person needs to be extradited/deported as per legal procedures contained in the Extradition Act, 1962 and the treaty on the issue with the concerned country," the letter read according to The News Minute report.

“Further, (for) the extradition procedure to obtain the presence of the accused from the concerned country, the Investigation agency concerned needs to approach the concerned Court for issuance of an open-dated Non-Bailable Warrant in the name of alleged accused," the report quoted the letter.

“Once the present location of the accused is ascertained, the investigation agency concerned may prepare formal extradition request in respect of the accused person and send to this Ministry," the letter said, as per the report.

Nithyananda is currently absconding and according to various reports, he has urged the UN to declare an island he owns near Ecuador as a Hindu island nation 'Kailaasa'.