High court allows tainted Nityananda to preach
By IANSFriday, July 9, 2010
BANGALORE - Self-styled godman Swami Nityananda, who is facing rape charges but was granted bail last month, was Friday allowed by Karnataka High Court to conduct discourses.
Judge Subhash Adi also allowed Nityananda to report to police once in 30 days instead of once in a fortnight. Adi had granted bail to Nityananda June 11 on the condition that he would not hold any discourses.
Nityananda, who spent over 50 days behind bars after being arrested from Himachal Pradesh April 21, had sought relaxation of bail conditions.
He also wants the laptop and mobile phone seized by police to be returned to him. These were taken by police when he was arrested in Solan in Himachal Pradesh. Twenty-two hard discs and 10 video cameras were also taken from his ashram (complex) in Bidadi, about 25 km from Bangalore city. This plea will be heard July 16.
Nityananda has been slapped with rape and other criminal charges following the telecast of video clippings showing him in sexual acts with a woman, believed to be a Tamil film actor.
