Bangalore, Nov 17 (PTI): A local court today remanded Nitya Sachitananda, an associate of self-styled godman Nithyananda, in police custody till November 20.
Sachitananda, arrested by the CID here yesterday on charges of destroying an agreement signed by Nityananda's followers and for criminal conspiracy, was produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) at Ramanagaram, Roopa, who remanded him in four days police custody.
Meanwhile, Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam, the spiritual organisation founded by Nityananda, has expressed "deep shock" and "anguish" at the arrest. On November 16, Nithya Sachitananda was summoned for interrogation. He was charged under section 201 of the IPC (destruction of evidence) and was taken into custody.
Sachitananda was one of the co-accused named in the complaint lodged by a former disciple, Lenin Karuppan against Nithyananda, facing criminal charges including rape, in March this year.
The agreement, allegedly destroyed by Satchidananda, is said to mention the possibility of disciples being exposed to nudity.It reportedly came to light after Nithyananda's arrest.
Nityananda landed in controversy in March after a local television channel aired a purported video footage showing him in a compromising position with a Tamil actress. He was subsequently arrested in Solan district in Himachal Pradesh on April 21 and granted conditional bail on June 11.