On Monday, the Madras High Court imposed a restriction on Nithyananda from entering the Madurai Aadheenam, one of the oldest saivite mutts in Tamil Nadu. The ban stands until civil cases pending in the lower courts against his appointment as junior or the 293rd pontiff to the mutt has been cleared.
Directing the Commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, Justice R Mahadevan asked him to ensure that the self-styled godman does not enter any institution in the mutt as a pontiff, as his position had been revoked 6 years ago, according to a report in Outlook.
“As his appointment has been revoked and (a suit related to it is) pending adjudication before a civil court, he has no right to enter the mutt or any temple under the mutt either as a junior pontiff or the 293rd pontiff," said Justice R Mahadevan according to the report.
The judge was passing the order on a plea filed by Jagathalapradhaban, a follower of the Madurai Aadheenam, who had accused Nithyananda of interfering with the mutt’s affairs despite being removed from the position of junior pontiff.
The judge also stated that police assistance could be used in imposing the ban if necessary, according to a Times of India report.
Further, the judge even ordered the State government to initiate action against all heads of religious institutions who tarnish the names of their institutions through their actions and file a report in the court in eight weeks, according to a report in The Hindu.
On October 2012, Nithyananda was appointed as the 293rd pontiff of the Madurai Adheenam by incumbent 292nd pontiff of the mutt Gnanasamband Desika Paramacharya Swamigal.
However his appointment had been annulled by the senior pontiff himself following protests, reportedly, by many devotees.
In December 2017, the court had passed interim orders restraining Nithyananda and his disciples from entering the Aadheenam until further orders.