HC stays criminal proceedings against godman Nithyananda

BENGALURU: In some respite to self-styled godman Swami Nithyananda, the Karnataka High Court on Monday stayed all further proceedings pending against him before the Additional District and Sessions Court in Ramanagar, in relation to charges of rape and criminal intimidation.Justice RB Budihal passed an interim order to that effect and made it clear that the said order would be in force till the disposal of the criminal revision petitions filed by Nithyananda and the other co-accused.

In the revision petitions filed before the High Court, they had challenged the rejection of applications seeking discharge from the charges mentioned in the case by the Additional District and Sessions Court in Ramanagar on February 19, 2018. Before the trial court, Nithyananda had pleaded discharge from the criminal proceedings. The court, however, rejected it and proceeded to frame charges against them.