AFP/Bangalore


Police escort Swami Nityananda as he leaves the judicial magistrate’s court in Ramanagar district, some 50km from Bangalore yesterday
Police yesterday detained controversial Hindu religious leader Swami Nityananda facing a series of assault and sexual abuse charges, just hours after he was set free on bail, saying the “godman” faced threats to his life.
Nityananda was released from police custody after lodging a Rs50,000 ($900) bond at the court in Ramanagar, 35km from Bangalore, but within hours he was back inside again, an officer said.
Inspector General of Police Bhaskar Rao said there was the likelihood of “breach in public peace and danger to his own life because there is lot of resentment due to his alleged misconduct.”
“If he is free, Nityananda will return to his ashram and then we would have to provide hundreds of policemen to protect him so it is better he stays in safe custody,” Rao said.
The 35-year-old was initially taken into custody on Wednesday for questioning over accusations of assault at a press conference and separate allegations of sex abuse at his retreat in the southern state of Karnataka.
Nityananda, one of many Hindu gurus in India who attract large numbers of devoted followers, earlier yesterday had walked out of court smiling and thanked his cheering supporters after being granted bail.
Five women complained to local media earlier this month they were abused by Nithyananda, while a television reporter was allegedly assaulted last week after raising the abuse allegations during a press conference at his ashram.
Nityananda was bailed on the assault charge, but the sex abuse charges were not considered by the court yesterday.
In 2010, the guru was held in jail for 53 days over a sex-video scandal.
Nityananda said the video was fake.