Self-styled godman Nithyananda was issued a notice by the High Court and an FIR has been registered on charges of kidnapping and wrongful confinement of children after he was accused of forcing them to collect donations from followers to run his ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Police are currently on the lookout for Nithyananda. While some claim that he has fled the country to escape the law, a few other reports mention that he has sought political asylum in the Cayman Islands. Meanwhile, Nithyananda's disciples deny knowledge of his whereabouts and locals claim that he has remained underground over the past month. Another report adds that he may have left India via Nepal. A police official involved in the case reportedly informed a news agency, "I don't think that he has fled. His passport has expired recently. He can't travel abroad legally. I was told that he was somewhere in north India. We are verifying it. Since there is a serious case against him, the SP has rejected his request for passport renewal. It has expired recently."

Two female disciples of Nithyananda, Sadhvi Pranpriyananda and Priyatatva Riddhi Kiran, have already been arrested for illegally holding them captive in order to promote activities of the ashram. Nithyananda has been booked on similar charges.