Isha Foundation moves Delhi High Court with ₹3 crore defamation suit against Nakkheeran

Spiritual guru Jaggi Vasudev's Isha Foundation on Monday moved a suit in the Delhi High Court for take down of allegedly defamatory videos posted by a Tamil media outlet called Nakkheeran. [Isha Foundation v. Google LLC].Isha Foundation has also sought ₹3 crore in damages from Nakkheeran and its editor Gopal for allegedly posting defamatory content. The foundation has also made Google LLC a party, owing to the defamatory materials coming up on Google search and videos being posted on its platform YouTube. Justice Subramonium Prasad issued notice to the defendants and posted the case for hearing in April 2025 for commencement of arguments. Isha Foundation chose not to file a plea for interim injunction. The case will be argued after pleadings, examination-in-chief and cross-examination before the registrar courts. .Isha Foundation was represented by Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao with Advocates Simranjeet Singh, Rohit Gandhi, Raushal Kumar and Yajat Gulia from Athena Legal, along with Advocates Pushpaveni Kakkaje, Meherunissa Anand, Areeb Amanullah and Yashraj Samant..It is Isha Foundation's contention that Nakkheeran published critical content against it. These reports allege various forms of misconduct within the Foundation, including claims of exploitation, brainwashing, and illegal activities. Such allegations suggest that individuals at the Foundation are held against their will or coerced into certain actions.According to Isha, Nakkheeran published these articles despite the Supreme Court order closing the proceedings in a habeas corpus petition filed by a father alleging that two of his daughters had been “brainwashed" by the Foundation. .On October 18, a Bench of then Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra noted that both the women were adults and had made clear their wishes to live at the Yoga centre."We had spoken to both the ladies and recorded. Both of them said that they are living there on free will and we need to close the habeas corpus plea," CJI Chandrachud said.Hence, it closed the case against Isha Foundation. However, the Bench made it clear that its order will not prevent police from proceeding with any other investigation..The issue arose after the High Court directed the Tamil Nadu government to submit details of all criminal cases registered against the Isha Foundation.This, after a man moved the Court alleging that two of his daughters aged 42 and 39 years had been “brainwashed” to reside at the Isha Yoga Centre..