No Kailaasa for Nithyananda in Ecuador, heads for Haiti
Ecuador denied that it granted asylum to self-styled godman Nithyananda, who is facing rape charges in India, or helped him buy any land in its territory. In a statement, the Embassy of Ecuador said the godman had left for Haiti after his request for asylum was denied by the government.
The government of Ecuador on Friday denied that it granted asylum to self-styled godman Nithyananda, who is facing rape charges in India, or helped him buy any land in its territory. In a statement, the Embassy of Ecuador said the godman had left for Haiti after his request for asylum was denied by the government.
“The Embassy of Ecuador categorically denies the statement, wherever published, that self-styled Guru Nithyananda was given asylum by Ecuador or has been helped by the government of Ecuador in purchasing any land or island in South America near or far from Ecuador,” the statement read.
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“Moreover, Ecuador denied the request for international personal protection (refuge) made by Mr. Nithyananda before Ecuador and later on, Mr. Nithyananda left Ecuador presumably on his way to Haiti,” it said.
The statement further said all information “published in digital and print media in India is based on the information which allegedly has been sourced from https://kailaasa.org, a website which is supposedly maintained by Mr. Nithyananda or by his people.”
Besides, the country urged digital and print media houses to “refrain from citing Ecuador in any form in all pieces of information related to Mr. Nithyananda.”
Days earlier, Nithyananda had announced the creation of Kailasa, a “Hindu homeland” which allegedly had its own passport and flag, on an island purchased from Ecuador. He had allegedly fled India after he was booked in a rape case in Karnataka.
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The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said it has cancelled the passport of the controversial godman and rejected his application for fresh one. Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar fruther said the ministry has sensitised all its missions and posts abroad about Nithyananda. “Setting up a website is different from setting up a nation,” he said.
Meanwhile, media reports said French authorities are now investigating the self-styled godman for alleged fraud worth $400,000.
