Rules Not Followed to Select Nithyananda: TN Govt

The Tamil Nadu government has informed the Madras High Court that the head of the Madurai Aadheenam did not follow provisions of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959, while selecting controversial self styled godman Nithyananda as next trustee to the mutt.

In a counter to a petiton filed in the court,Secretary of Tamil Development, Religious Endowments and Information Department said "the present head of the math has not followed provisions of the Act (Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959) in selection of succession to the office of trustees of the mutt."

The government was also to take action against the present mutt head, it said.

The counter said the commissioner was contemplating legal action as per Section 59 of the Act for 'misdeeds' committed by Sri Arunagirinathar. This Section deals with removal of the trustee of the mutt or specific endowments attached to it.

In a PIL and other miscellaneous petitions, one M Jagathalapradapan had prayed for a direction to authorities to take interim custody of Madurai Aadheenam Mutt, freeze its accounts and remove Nithyananda from the mutt.

Nithyananda is facing charges of rape and criminal intimidation levelled against him in 2010 after some TV channels telecast purported video footage of him in a compromising position with an actress.