CHENNAI: The Madras High Court asked Jaggi Vasudev of the Isha Foundation why when he had got his daughter married, he encouraged other girls to follow ascetic life by tonsuring their heads.

The court also directed the State to file a status report regarding the pending cases against the Yoga centre.

A division bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice V Sivagnanam heard the habeas corpus petition (HCP) moved by S Kamaraj, retired professor and agricultural scientist, seeking the custody of his daughters Geetha alias Ma Mathi and Latha alias Ma Maayu “kept captive” by the Isha Foundation.

The petitioner alleged that Isha is abusing its followers, by brainwashing and converting them as monks, and not even allowing the parents or relatives to meet them. He also alleged that several criminal cases are pending against the Isha Foundation. Further, he submitted that recently a criminal case under the Pocso Act has been registered against a doctor, from Isha, as he molested 12 girl students of an Adivasi government school.

However, the daughters of the petitioner, who physically appeared before the court, refused to go with