The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday stated that it is not aware of the current location of self-styled godman and rape-accused Nithyananda. The Ministry added that it had not received any information from the Gujarat police or from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding him. Nithyananda has been booked by the Gujarat police after three minor children (a boy and two girls) were rescued from Nithyananda's Hirapur Ashram in the outskirts of Ahmedabad and united them with their parents.
“We have not received any formal information, neither from the Gujarat police nor from the MHA. Also, for extradition request, we need to know the location and the nationality details of the person. We do not have such information about him yet,” the MEA has said.
It is not clear where Nithyananda currently is. Sources say that he could either be in Ecuador or the West Indies. He has also been evading appearance in a rape case filed against him in Karnataka. He has not appeared in court for almost a year.
On Wednesday, two women managers, Pranapriya and Priyatattva, were arrested by the Gujarat police based on the statement by the minors rescued from the Nithyananda ashram in Gujarat. On Thursday, police reportedly searched the premises for
The ashram in Ahmedabad is situated inside the premises of the Delhi Public School. On Thursday, after the case details were revealed, the Secretary of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) wrote to the Directorate of Schools, State Education Department, to conduct an inquiry into the leasing of the land to the ashram without due permission.
The State Education Department has been asked to conduct the inquiry expeditiously and convey the outcome of the report and status of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the state department to the school for seeking CBSE affiliation.
Read: Sexual crimes committed in the name of God: A look back at 'Swami' Nithyananda's 'sex contract'