Isha Foundation on Thursday challenged a Madras High Court order in the Supreme Court, which directed the Coimbatore police to gather and present details of all cases against the foundation. The matter was brought for urgent consideration before Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the foundation, requested a stay on the high court's order, noting that approximately 500 police officials had raided the foundation's ashram and were conducting thorough investigations.
The bench included Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra, who asked for information from two women whose father filed a petition alleging their illegal confinement at the Isha Foundation. The judges went to their chambers to personally interact with the women via video conference to discuss the case details.
On September 30, the high court issued an interim order regarding a habeas corpus petition by Dr. S. Kamaraj, a retired professor from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. He claimed that his two daughters, both postgraduate engineering graduates associated with the Isha Foundation, were being held captive and sought their production before the court. Dr. Kamaraj alleged that the foundation misleads individuals into becoming "monks" and prevents their families from visiting them.