MADURAI: Even as the Karnataka government has cracked its whip on Nithyananda, the opposition for the self-styled godman's ascent in Madurai Adheenam, one of the oldest Hindu organisations in the world, continues unabated in Madurai.

On a day when the whereabouts of Nithyananda was shrouded in mystery, the Madurai bench of the Madras high court has ordered notices to him on a petition filed by a Hindu outfit alleging that immoral and illegal activities were carried out in the mutt premises.

Hindu Makkal Katchi's Madurai district president M Solaikannan alleged in the petition filed before the high court bench that women devotees of Nithyananda, including actor Ranjitha, were involved in objectionable acts in the name of meditation and prayers. The petitioner also contended that tiger skins and elephant tusks were found in the mutt premises in violation of Forest Act.

Hearing the petition, Justice A Selvam ordered notices to the DGP, Madurai city commissioner of police, inspector of Vilakuthoon police station, Nithyananda, Ranjitha and another devotee Vaishnavi. The judge later posted the hearing for June 22.

Meanwhile, senior pontiff of Madurai Adheenam, Arunagirinatha Desikar brushed aside the accusations made in the petition as well as allegations levelled against Nithyananda in Bangalore. "Nithyananda has not gone into hiding. There is no need for that. He is very much in Bangalore," he told reporters in Madurai. "The Bidadi ashram of Nithyananda is a private property.

The government cannot take over it as is made out. The government cannot even interfere in the activities of the ashram. There is no room in law enabling the government to seize the properties of a religious institution," he said.But the senior pontiff appeared to be a futile attempt at pacifying the opponents of Nithyananda. Solaikannan, who was opposing the entry of Nithyananda into the Madurai mutt ever since he was anointed as the 293rd pontiff by Arunagirinatha Desikar in April this year, had stated in the petition that he himself witnessed the "objectionable" activities going on in the mutt on May 12.

"During my visit to the mutt, Nithyananda urged me to drop the protest against him. Later, he invited m e to the evening prayers where senior pontiff Arunagirinatha Desikar, was present. At the prayer hall in the mutt, I was offered 'holy water' by the devotees. Moments after drinking it I felt dizzy. Other devotees who drank the water were also in a similar state," Solaikannan claimed.

He alleged that as many as 10 tiger skins were spread on the floor and elephant tusks were placed on it. He also charged that actor Ranjitha and another woman devotee resorted to objectionable dance movements. Solaikannan claimed that he lodged a complaint with Vilakuthoon police, but no action was taken.