The Madras High Court on Friday dismissed an appeal filed by self-proclaimed Godman Nithyananda seeking directions to the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department to recognise him as the Head of three mutts in Tamil Nadu.
Hearing the petition, a division bench of Justices R Subramanian and C Kumarappan said that Nithyananda was not even in India to be able to administer the three temples of Sri Somanatha Swami Temple & Mutt at Thiruvarur, Sri Arunachala Gnanadesikar Swami Temple & Mutt at Vedaranyam, and Sri Po. Ka. Sathukal Madam at Vedaranyam.
Nithyananda filed the appeal against an order passed by a single-judge bench of Justice M Dhandapani last year in September. The single-judge bench refused to interfere in the HR&CE Department’s decision to appoint another person as the head of the Mutts due to rape charges filed against Nithyananda. During the hearing of the petition filed by Nithyananda, who was staking a claim through a representative, Justice Dhandapani questioned the validity of his representation before the court given that his whereabouts were not known.
In his appeal, Nithyananda claimed that it was common knowledge that he resided at Kailasa, a nation recognised by the United Nations, having diplomatic relations with more than 50 countries across the world.
