A day after the Madras High Court criticised Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and the Isha Yoga Foundation, a team of 150 police officers, along with district revenue officials, conducted search operations at the Isha Foundation Ashram in Thondamuthur, near Coimbatore, on Tuesday. The court had sought a report on all criminal cases filed against the foundation.

More details are anticipated shortly after the search, which lasted for more than eight hours. The goal of the search was to find the residents of the Isha Yoga Centre and ensure their safety. The search was led by three deputy superintendents and an assistant deputy superintendent of police.

“As per the court order, the police, including the SP, have come to the Isha Yoga Centre for a general enquiry. They are enquiring with residents and volunteers, understanding the lifestyle, understanding how they come in and stay, etc,” said a statement issued by the Isha Foundation.

The search at the centre is the result of a habeas corpus petition filed by Dr. S. Kamaraj, a retired professor and father of two girls who are reportedly staying at the foundation's ashram against their will. In his appeal before the Madras High Court, Kamaraj claimed that the Isha Foundation and Sadhguru had brainwashed his two daughters, Geetha Kamaraj (age 42) and Latha Kamaraj (age 39), forcing them into monastic life. Additionally, he discussed the education and experience his two daughters had before entering the Isha Yoga Centre. 

According to Kamaraj, his older daughter graduated from a prominent UK university with a postgraduate degree in mechanics. Before divorcing her husband in 2008, she was making a good living. Later on, Isha signed her up for a yoga class. His younger daughter, a software engineer, attended Isha Yoga Center as well, following in her footsteps.

In his petition, Kamaraj also claimed that his daughters' cognitive abilities were dulled by food and medication given by the foundation. He claimed that the food and medication caused them to cut off all contact with their family. After hearing the petition, Justices S.M. Subramaniam and V. Sivagnanam questioned Sadhguru about why, "after he had settled his daughter's affairs, he was encouraging other young women to tonsure their heads, renounce worldly life, and live like hermits at his yoga centres."

After speaking with both of Kamaraj's daughters, the judges decided to look into the matter deeper and gave the revenue officials instructions to gather information on all criminal cases brought against Isha Yoga Centre.