Nityananda’s Driver Submits 30 Sex Videos

M.today

Bangalore, April 8: A senior police officer, who is part of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), investigating the alleged sex scandal involving Swami Paramahamsa Nithyananda, revealed on Wednesday that Lenin Karuppan, the swami’s former driver, had submitted 30 tapes containing videos of the godman in compromising positions with women.

 

 

The official also said that one of the 30 tapes was the one aired on a private TV news channel, in which the swami was seen with a woman, suspected to be a Tamil actor. 

However, the official added that the veracity of the tapes was still to be ascertained. Asked if the videos were of 30 different women, the official said, "No." He added that six women featured in the videos.

The identity of the women in the videos had yet to be accurately ascertained, the official said. "Lenin had made allegations of sodomy against swami Nithyananda, but there is no video evidence to corroborate that charge," said the officer, who added that the tapes were being analysed by cyber crime experts.

According to investigating officials, the case had become rather confused — on the one hand, the video tapes offer "solid" evidence. On the other, there were not enough statements from witnesses to corroborate the video evidence. There were few ’victims’ coming forward with complaints, and investigators were being distracted by other charges.

"The complaint lodged by Lenin is largely about sexual activities in the Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam ashram. For some reason, we are not getting enough statements or witnesses in this case. There are few people speaking against the godman. During our investigations, we are being diverted into examining allegations of cheating. The bulk of the complaints we have received relate to cheating," said the police officer.

CID investigating officials, who conducted a raid on the Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam ashram at Bidadi on April 5 and 6, had so far interrogated 29 people.

"We recorded the statements of 19 people on Tuesday. We also spoke with 10 people on Wednesday. Not one of the 29 people mentioned the alleged sexual activities at the ashram. However, we hope to gather more information from prolonged investigation and repeated interrogation. It is likely that the truth will take a little while emerging," the officer said.

Asked if what had already been gathered so far in the case comprised a strong case against the godman, the official said, "We cannot say anything till we have examined all the relevant witnesses."

Meanwhile, CID officials await the arrival of Douglas McKellor, a US national who lodged a complaint against the godman, alleging that his wife had abandoned him under the swami’s influence. "We cannot register any case based on that complaint, but we can use McKellor as a witness," said the officer.