Madras HC slams Nithyananda for falsely claiming to be pontiff of the Madurai Adheenam mutt

Madurai: The Madras High Court on Monday came down heavily on self-styled godman Nithyananda for giving "false" information to the court and asked why action should not be taken against him.[caption id="attachment_1694951" align="alignleft" width="380"] File image of Nithyananda. IBNLive[/caption]Justice Mahadevan wondered how could Nithyananda claim he was the 293rd pontiff of the Madurai Adheenam mutt, a 2,500-year-old Saivite mutt, when the incumbent 292nd pontiff was alive."It does not look proper," the court said and asked "why action should not be taken against Nithyananda for giving false information to the court."The court was hearing a petition from one Jagadalapradhaban who sought a direction to ban Nithyananda from entering the mutt.The self-sytled godman was attempting to capture Saivite mutts at several places across India, including in Karnataka, the petitioner alleged.The petitioner submitted that Arunagirinathan was now heading the mutt as the 292nd head.Counsel for Nithyananda claimed he had been anointed as the 293rd pontiff and there was no way it could be cancelled.Nithyananda, who was caught in a sex tape scandal in 2010 and facing rape charges, had said he should be allowed to perform certain rituals as per the mutt tradition and alleged that some "illegal elements" were threatening him and his disciples with dire consequences whenever they visited it.The court posted the case for hearing on 13 November.