June 1: The Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam has denied any role in the firing at the Art of Living campus on Kanakapura Road. Dhyanapeetam officials stated that Nithyananda is being made a scapegoat for “any incident that happens anywhere in the country”.

The founder of AoL Sri Sri Ravishankar’s harsh criticisms of Nithyananda for his sexcapade was also suspected to be the reason behind the firing. After state DGP Ajai Kumar Singh termed the firing as just an ‘incident’ and not an ‘attack’, different theories were being floated as the gunman had fired from a distance of 750 ft.
“We would like to categorically state that Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam is in no way involved with any such incident. In these tough times when our guru Paramahamsa Nithyananda is in judicial custody and is facing baseless allegations, it really pains us to be dragged into such absurd conspiracy theories related to incidents with which we are in no way related,’’ a Dhyanapeetam staff said.

He also said the Sri Sri himself has termed the allegations, that he wanted to take over all the trusts managed by Nithyananda, as baseless. “Since there is no victim in cases against Nithyananda attempts are being made to implicate him in other false cases. Till today in the said matter for which Paramahamsa Nithyananda is arrested and is in judicial custody there has been no further progress,” the officials said. Nithyananda’s bail application will come up for hearing on June 8.