Nithyananda granted bail

BANGALORE: Controversial self-styled godman Nithyananda, arrested in an assault case, was today granted bail by a Ramanagara court.

Judicial First Class Magistrate Komala granted the bail. Nithyananda was sent to one-day police custody yesterday after he surrendered before the court in Ramanagara, about 40 km from here. He had later filed a bail petition.

The self-styled godman, already facing criminal charges including rape and out on bail after his arrest in 2010, courted fresh trouble when police on June 8 booked him and his followers for allegedly assaulting a mediaperson during a press conference at his ashram at Bidadi near here.

The press meet was held in the backdrop of a US-based woman alleging that Nithyananda had sexually abused her for five years, a charge that triggered public outrage and protests by Kannada groups.

A search warrant was issued by police against him even as a high-level team of officials and police continued their searches at his ashram.