THIRD TIME LUCKY !?!

Over the past 5 months and more we have been constantly writing to various high-ranking Govt. Officials of India updating them of our fast deteriorating situation and requesting them to help us and save us from the wayward and unruly trustees of Ashram. Yesterday was the third time that our actions have been personally acknowledged and let us hope that this time round, the third time, we shall get results.

HIS EXCELLENCY, the Hon’ble Home Minister of India Sri Rajnath Singh-ji, having received many SOS-Faxes from us during this past week, called Arunashri last evening who assured her safety for all of us. He had already spoken to her twice before with the same assurance and once again his words of encouragement and concern have further reinforced our bones with steely resolve. We are deeply grateful to him and sincerely thank HIS EXCELLENCY Sri Ranjath Singh-ji.

However even persons like the Hon’ble Home Minister have only a fixed tenure of the position he holds whereas the trustees enjoy lifelong tenure without accountability or any method of selection. Therefore the trustees have become a law unto themselves and listen to no one.

Since yesterday there was no Trust Board meeting we hand-delivered our letter dated 15.12.2014 to Dilip Dutta, Batti and Manoj Das Gupta, without asking for any acknowledgement from them. Dilip Mehtani refused to accept our letter and we could not find Abhipsa Nagda. But we were assured by Manoj Das Gupta that in the Trust Board meeting being held today he would put forward our letter for the trustees’ decision.

I am producing below the text of the undertaking which we have asked the trustees to give us. This time, since our lives are anyway almost forfeited, we shall not budge or compromise in our rightful demand. The fate of the trustees, their many well-wishers and supporters as well as the Ashram community depends on the decisions made by them today before 12.00 p.m. We are waiting and watching with calm indifference – LOSS OF LIFE or LIFE WITH DIGNITY.

VICTOIRE A LA DOUCE MERE – LET THY WILL PREVAIL!

UNDERTAKING GIVEN BY THE TRUSTEES OF

SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM TRUST, PONDICHERRY

TO ALL WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN

We, (1) MANOJ DAS GUPTA, (2) DILIP KUMAR DUTTA, (3) DILIP MEHTANI, (4) PRABHAKAR RUPANAGUNTA @ BATTI and (5) ABHIPSA NAGDA, the trustees of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, are willing and ready to provide and extend immediately all the facilities of Ashram like ‘Prosperity Book’ for 2015 and subsequent years, medical care, food, shelter (as already occupied presently), laundry, P.E.D., cycle repairs, etc. and as extended to every inmate of the Ashram, to the five sisters viz. (1) JAYASHREE PRASAD, (2) ARUNASHRI PRASAD, (3) RAJYASHRI PRASAD, (4) NIVEDITA PRASAD and (5) HEMLATA PRASAD, till the completion of the trial and the final disposal of the cases pending between us.

We do not wish that the Order dated 09.12.2014 passed in Contempt Petition No.395/2014 in S.L.P. No.27620/2012 should be executed. Therefore we request the Pondicherry Police not to act on the directions issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India passed in its Order dated 09.12.2014.

Date:  15.12.2014

Place: Pondicherry

OUR LETTER TO THE TRUSTEES

From:                                                                                                               15.12.2014

(1) JAYASHREE PRASAD                     (2) ARUNASHRI PRASAD

(3) RAJYASHRI PRASAD        (4) NIVEDITA PRASAD          (5) HEMLATA PRASAD

All residing at Ambabhikshu House, No.33, Dr. Ambedkar Street,

Kuruchikuppam, Pondicherry-605001

To

ALL THE TRUSTEES OF SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM TRUST

Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust,

“Grace Office”, No.14, Saint Gilles Street,

Pondicherry-605002

Madam/Sirs,

The Supreme Court has passed an Order dated 09.12.2014 without giving us any opportunity to present our case. This order has been passed in an interim petition while the trial in the suit has been already underway for the past 4 years and you all are trying to illegally evict us using the Supreme Court.

All of us have decided to end our lives in view of the Order dated 09.12.2014 rather than face anymore injustices, harassment and victimization, as soon as the police comes to evict us from Ambabhikshu House. We are also going to leave suicide notes naming all of you and many others concerned, all of whom are responsible for constraining us to end our lives. Our suicide notes will cause adverse repercussions on the Ashram community as a whole and most specifically on all the persons named therein.

The solution lies only with all you trustees. Today is the weekly Trust Board meeting. All of you should pass a resolution to stop the execution of the Order dated 09.12.2014 and give an undertaking to the Pondicherry Police to that effect. All of you should also give an undertaking to us stating that you are going to provide to all of us all the facilities as granted in the interim injunction petition in I.A. No.1500/2005 and forthwith issue to each of us ‘Prosperity Book’ for 2015 and restore all our facilities of medical, PED, laundry, etc. and as provided to every inmate of the Ashram, which you have illegally stopped, till the final outcome of the trial and the disposal of the pending cases. We are enclosing herewith the undertaking to be signed and given to us by all of you by 12.00 p.m. today and it is non-negotiable.

This is the last chance for all the trustees to behave with propriety, to maintain the sanctity of the Ashram, to safeguard the welfare of all its inmates and to protect the overall interest of the community.

Enclosure

Non-negotiable Undertaking to be given to us by the Trustees

Will Supreme Court Illegally Modify Its Court Order?

On 02.12.2014 the contempt petition filed against us is listed before the Supreme Court and we are constrained to appear before the Court on that day. With great difficulty and hardship we have managed to make the very basic arrangements for our travel.

However we have come to know that apparently the trustees are going to submit before the Supreme Court that they have or will arrange alternate accommodation for the five sisters and we should be shifted thereto and get orders to that effect. If the Supreme Court is inclined to grant the trustees' prayer then it will be unlawfully modifying its own order dated 29.04.2014 through a contempt petition and this will be totally against the principles of natural justice and the prescribed law and common sense, especially since at the first instance the Supreme Court had failed to take the submissions made by the trustees in their reply to our SLP with regard to payment of expenses to us.

It may also be noted that the trustees have not made the above claim in their contempt petition filed by them and they cannot now come forward with such a plea after having illegally and forcibly implemented the order dated 29.04.2014 by stopping our food, medical and all other facilities and amenities extended to every inmate of the Ashram.

The trustees will be once again trying to cunningly gain the sympathy of the court using devious means by projecting false goodwill. We sincerely hope that at least this time round the Supreme Court will be wise enough to see through their malice and ill-intentions and will not indulge in further miscarriage of justice.

Three Cheers for Pondicherry Police!!!

Order dated 13.10.2014 passed at Hon’ble Supreme Court by Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice Bobde directing the Pondicherry Police to arrest the five sisters has been executed. This bailable arrest warrant had been issued in spite of the Registrar of the Supreme Court as well as the Chief Justice of India and Justice Mukhopadhaya having received letter from us stating that we were unable to appear since we had no means to bear the expenses of travel and lodging and food. This order of bailable arrest was totally insensitive and in gross violation of principles of natural justice. It also clearly indicated the prejudice and inclination of the judges in favor of the Ashram trustees.

On 18.11.2014, between 1.00-2.00 p.m. the Pondicherry Police headed by Mr. Ravikumar, SP (North), came with this whole team to Ambabhikshu House, wherein we sisters are residing, to execute the arrest warrant issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in connection to an alleged contempt of court. He was accompanied by women police personnel who arrested us and took us to the ‘All Women Police Station’. There we were shown the order and explained its consequences. After due formalities were completed we were each issued a 'Memo of Arrest' and allowed to leave the police station on the surety of two well-wishers. Thank you both, we are deeply indebted and grateful for the risks you have taken on our behalf to protect us and safeguard our well-being and interests.

We also take this opportunity to sincerely thank Mr. Ravikumar, SP (North), and his whole team of police personnel who treated us with extreme consideration and extended all possible help to facilitate the smooth execution of the procedure. This is the first time we have received such goodwill from the police and we are extremely grateful for the same. We have also assured Mr. Ravikumar that we shall make all possible efforts to present ourselves on 02.12.2014 before the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

Shocking Coincidence

Just to put on record for the benefit of those who have willingly chosen to remain blindfolded or have been gullibly hoodwinked.

The coincidence of the admitted assault on Jayashree and Hemlata’s alleged pregnancy is nothing less than shocking. Jayashree was assaulted on 09/01/2001. Trustees declared Hemlata to be 6-7 months pregnant on 10/01/2001, within 24 hours. What prevented the trustees to issue her any show-cause notice and conduct an enquiry in January 2001 itself for violating the rule of the Ashram?

• -          Tresor Nursing Home is a personal and private nursing home of Chitra Sen on the property belonging to the Ashram.
• -          A record of every ashramite who visits the premises is maintained and submitted to Chitra Sen who submits it to Dr. Dilip Kumar Dutta, in charge of all the medical facilities in the Ashram.
• -          So even if I had been accused of destroying the so-called “evidence”, why did Dr. Dilip Kumar Dutta fail to produce the copy of the report which should have been submitted by Chitra Sen?
• -          How did Dr. Dilip Kumar Dutta, being a senior doctor, miss this advance stage of Hemlata’s alleged pregnancy when she was meeting him on a daily basis for demanding justice for Jayashree’s assault?
• -          When the trustees accused Hemlata of being 6-7 months pregnant, they did not need any medical certification required to confirm it, a profile photo would have done the trick. In her small frame of body where was she supposed to hide this advance stage of pregnancy! How come it went unnoticed even by the married women and mothers in her department at “Embroidery Department”!
• -          When a medical document is stolen or destroyed in a nursing home, its management reports it to the police. What stopped Chitra Sen to lodge a police complaint against me and why didn’t the Ashram trustees issue me a show cause notice with regard to this incident? But this most important question still remains unanswered for obvious reasons, there was no pregnancy and therefore no destruction of medical evidence.

The fact is that the trustees were scared by the threat of the supporters of Krishna Chandra who had said that they would do a mass walkout of the Ashram Dining Room if any disciplinary action was taken against Krishna Chandra. So to suppress, confuse, mislead and misrepresent the incident of the assault on Jayashree, the trustees and their henchmen started the rumor about Hemlata’s alleged pregnancy.

Krishna Belliappa, who volunteered for causing Hemlata’s alleged pregnancy and as stated by the trustees, was never expelled from the Ashram. In fact in Menon’s enquiry (third enquiry by trustees’ count) he was examined as trustees’ witness and declared that he was not responsible for the alleged pregnancy. He not only enjoys till date all the facilities and amenities provided by the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, he has been bestowed with power, position, money and women.

The two Krishnas were and are still being patronized by the trustees, since the trustees themselves are all aspiring to become Krishnas and being constantly entertained by the willing gopis of the Ashram. Therefore from April 2001, since we sisters revolted against this system of entertainment, the vindictive trustees have left no stone unturned to harass, victimize, falsely accuse us, defame us and overall make our lives thoroughly miserable and unlivable. What a spiritual justice!

Mystery of missing evidence from Tresor Nursing Home

When one stands against misdeeds in an institution, one must be extremely strong to withstand any mud-slinging. 

The trustees started slanderous attacks on us after we five sisters decided to stand together against the inhuman and brutal assault on my eldest sister Jayashree by Krishna Chandra (a non-ashramite in 2001) on 09/01/2001 in the premises of the Ashram Dining Room during her working hours and in the presence of Veda Prakash Johar (Ashram trustee and in-charge of Dining Room).

• -          Trustees, especially Dr. Dilip Kimar Dutta, prohibited us to lodge a police complaint regarding the assault on Jayashree on 09/01/2001. We were asked to abide by the rules of the Ashram as stated in the “Prosperity Book”.
• -          Hemlata was punished for requesting action to be taken against the assaulter Krishna Chandra. Her food, at the Ashram Dining Room counter-service, was stopped and she was only allowed to take home food through carrier-service.
• -          Arati Das Gupta, (a teacher, a sports’ captain and Manoj Das Gupta’s sister and prime advisor) verbally informed Hemlata that her sports facilities had been stopped but did not give any reason for the same.
• -          Hemlata and Jayashree approached Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya, the director of sports in the Ashram, for clarification and Gangaram gave them a handwritten note saying that Hemlata’s name had been removed from the ‘Prosperity List’ therefore her sports facilities had been stopped.
• -          Breakfast was not served to the five sisters at the Ashram Dining Room on 23/03/2001 although Hemlata had been allowed to eat in the Dining Room on 22/03/2001.
• -         Trustees publicly circulated a defamatory letter about Hemlata, without having first given her a copy of this letter marked ‘Strictly Personal and Confidential’. She received this letter only after she had filed her Civil Suit in O.S. No. 215/2001 challenging her illegal expulsion where no show-cause notice had been served to her, much less an enquiry conducted.

On the first hearing of O.S. No. 215/2001, the judge had asked trustees’ lawyer C.S.Narasimhan to produce evidence for the serious allegations made by them. This lawyer of the trustees replied that he would produce them soon. This “soon” has yet to come even after 14 years.

After Hemlata had filed her suit for defamation citing the five trustees along with their three henchmen, as accused before the criminal court, the trustees were demented with rage and went completely haywire.

My questioning the sudden visits of P.P. Raghavachary and C.S. Narasimhan to Tresor Nursing Home led to the illegal termination of my work without assigning any reasons. Later, only through court papers I learnt that I was accused of destroying the alleged evidences relating to Hemlata’s advanced stage of pregnancy. It was rather shocking. Trustees and their henchmen spread these news (Hemlata’s alleged pregnancy and my alleged destruction of “medical” evidence) like a wild forest-fire and everyone believed them in good faith because pregnancy is a frequently recurring occurrence in the Ashram.

Trustees made me a scapegoat to safeguard their interests, especially because I had seen the diary maintained by Chitra Sen recording several terminations of pregnancies of ashram related cases at Tresor Nursing Home. So easy… so very convenient!!!

OUR LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA

As a last recourse to get justice we have written a letter to the President of India. We hope that at least the Hon'ble President will intervene and help us. Let us wait and watch.

Madhumita Banerjee covers up trustees’ misdeeds

Madhumita Banerjee, a Punjabi woman married to a Bengali, runs an NGO called “Disha” in Pondicherry. She is a very close associate of the trustees and Matriprasad. As she is associated with various political groups in Pondicherry, trustees have always entertained her to get their work done. The trustees used her well in our case also with regard to the investigation conducted by National Women Commission.

I met her for the first time on 25.06.2006 when she visited Ambabhikshu House to canvass for her party during Pondicherry Municipal Election. 

It was a Sunday evening at about 6.45pm. She along with her friend knocked at my door asking to vote for them. Just for fun I began chitchatting with Madhumita and asked her what her party would do if it won. Her reply shocked me. She said that she has always helped ashramites and the trustees. She informed me that she was the go-between person between the trustees and the State women Commission (SCW) and the National Women Commission (NCW) in the complaint given by the five sisters.

Wow! This was a revelation to me so I goaded her further for information. I asked her what she knew about the five sisters’ case and how she had helped the trustees.

Her idea about our complaint to NCW was vague as she had only a cursory glance of the file which had been submitted by our lawyer at the Chief Secretariat, Pondicherry, to Mrs. Poornima Advani on 5/10/2004 in the morning. But promptly she had called the trustee Dr. Dilip Kumar Dutta and handed over a copy of this file to Matriprasad.

She also boasted to me that she had visited Delhi with the Chairperson of State Women Commission Mrs. Kamalini to convince the chairperson of National Women Commission Mrs. Poornima Advani that the Ashram was free from all vices. She also commented that these 5 sisters were psycho-cases.

After she had finished her story, I asked her whether I appeared to be a psycho-case. She replied “NO”. Then I showed her the original pornographic cartoons received by me. Only then she realized her faux pas and asked me who I was. When I told her that I was one of the five sisters whose name she did not even know and much less about our sexual harassment, she turned white. By then my third sister also joined me. 

Since Madhumita Bannerjee was caught red-handed, without apologizing to us she hurriedly left Ambabhikshu House with her political friend without visiting any other rooms. But on a parting note she said that men in the Ashram were bad and abusive.

After several months, Madhumita Banerjee, who had now become richer by trustees’ grace, threatened me openly with kidnap, assault and even rape. She categorically advised me to keep quiet about her dirty role. What a request!

I reported her insulting and obnoxious behavior as well as her threat to me to one of her political colleagues, who heard me out sympathetically. This colleague approached and briefed the senior politician, who in turn took Madhumita Bannerjee to task. Only then she toned down since she had been given the choice to either quit the party or continue with her behavior.

What a nightmare trustees had created for everyone!

Arrest Warrant not yet Received informs Pondicherry Police

The last weekend in the “Times of India” Bosco Dominque reported that arrest warrant has been issued against we five sisters for disobeying the Supreme Court Order. He reports that and I quote

“The court refused to buy the argument of the sisters that they were ready to appear before it but had no money to pay for their tickets, boarding and lodging.”

Was Bosco present in the Supreme Court or is he simply vomiting the cock-and-bull story of the trustees and indulging in one side reporting? It is also pertinent to note that the trustees are not highlighting the fact that Jayashree was assaulted, an event accepted by them in their various court pleadings. Bosco incorrectly reports the beginning of litigation only from 2002 after Mr.Menon’s enquiry was initiated and completed. But the truth is that our litigation began in 2001 because Jayashree was assaulted by Krishna Chandra (a non-ashramite) and because we protested since no relief was given to her. The trustees rewarded the assaulter as well as his sister by inducting them as inmates, whereas we have been facing 14 years of harassment, victimization, sexual harassment and various other indignities. What a great sense of justice of the trustees!

Anyhow after reading this news item, on 20/10/2014 Arunashri and I met the IGP of Pondicherry to learn about the arrest procedures. IGP Mr. Praveer Ranjan was kind enough to give us an audience. When we asked him about the arrest procedure he directed us to his secretary Mr. Rajashankar, who informed us that till date no arrest warrant has as yet been received by the police. He informed us that in the absence of the warrant it was difficult to say what is expected of the police. But he assured us that if arrest is made the procedure will be followed as per the directions issued and that no arrest will be made after 6 pm.

I reiterate the fact that we sisters have not disobeyed the Supreme Court Order dated 29.04.2014 passed in S.L.P.No.27620/2012 by Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice R. Gogoi and no contempt can be held against us since their order directs us to vacate ‘suit premises’ in a case where there is no suit mentioned property. How can eviction be ordered in a suit which challenges the malafide report fabricated by the trustees in order to hush up our complaints of sexual harassment? This tantamounts to further victimization of the victims especially because some of our complaints form part of W.P.No.695/2014 pending before the Chief Justice of India and also because the case is being tried for the past four years. It seems as if the Supreme Court is incapable of rendering justice to the detriment of the victims.

Let us wait and watch what the future holds for us.

Trustees Have a Bad Habit of Initiating False Contempt Proceedings

These are the contempt proceedings initiated by the trustees against the five sisters:

1. Contempt No.718/2002 filed in O.S. No.253/2001 September 2002. No contempt was recorded against my four elder sisters. (See posting dated 24.01.2003)
2. Contempt No.1483/2010 filed in M.P. No.2/2008 in C.R.P. No.3314/2007 dated 21.06.2010. No contempt was recorded. Justice Manikumar took exception to our use of word ‘illegal’ when mentioning about Justice Venkataraman’s order. Justice Manikumar said that how can an order passed by a court of law be illegal, knowing fully well that illegal was an appropriate description. We apologized unconditionally for our use of this word illegal vis-à-vis high court order. But no contempt was recorded against we five sisters. The trustees’ claim to the contrary can be clearly seen by a simply perusal of the order.
3. Contempt No.395/2014 filed in S.L.P. No.27620/2012 dated 29.04.2014. Arrest warrant has been wrongly ordered by Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya on 13.10.2014 since

• Order dated 29.04.2014 was passed by Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice Ranjan Gogoi without following principles of natural justice and by misusing the discretionary powers under Article 227 of the Constitution in an interim petition, especially when trial had already began in the suit for the past 4 years.
• Order dated 29.04.2014 is non-executable. It directs the five sisters to vacate ‘suit premises’ in a case of sexual harassment where there is no description of ‘suit premises’.
• Office order dated 10.10.2014 states that we have received a letter from five sisters where the sisters have mentioned their inability to appear since they have no means. In spite of going through our letter and office order, Justice Mukhopadhaya has failed to take our plea into account.

We have to wait and watch whether this time round the trustees will manage to get us punished for an act of contempt we did not commit !!!

Tresor Nursing Home – Secret Refuge of Trustees’ Immorality

Tresor Nursing Home and Chitra Sen are synonymous in the Ashram community.

Ms. Chitra Sen is an old inmate, teacher & sports captain of the Ashram and heads the Advisory Committee Board of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust. She also allots work to the inmates and devotees. She also listens to their grievances without any authority to act on her own accord, in other words she is a puppet of the trustees.

Tresor Nursing Home, a unit of Swasthya Trust, is situated on a property belonging to Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust - “Tresor House”. The nursing home is her private and personal business. She has boldly voiced this her before appropriate authority.

SAAT has its own private nursing home on the beach road, dispensary, pharmacy, various therapy centers spread all over the white town and maintained by it for the well-being of its inmates, beneficiaries and devotees.

When crores of rupees has already been invested for this super-infrastructure, why is an elderly ashramite, juggling so many responsibilities, allowed to run her own private business with the blessings of the SAAT trustees, especially on an Ashram property? The answer is very simple but shocking.

Pregnancy is an accepted, normal and almost inevitable incident in the Ashram whether it’s a maid-servant, paid worker in a farmland or an ashramite. This fact is shocking but not so to the old ashramites who have witnessed pregnancies, abortions and childbirths in the Ashram. The women range maid-servant to affluent ladies.

The Mother in Her wisdom always protected women in the Ashram in every way. Stories are also told about how the Mother treated these cases. She permitted some for undergoing abortion and requested some to go for child delivery at the cost of the Ashram. Even today some of these lady-inmates are still alive and well respected in the ashram community along with their off-springs.

Unlike the era of the Mother when She guided and took the responsibility of each ashramite in Her spiritual wisdom, the present trustees (not selected by the Mother) indulge in every activity contrary to the aim and ideal of the Ashram. They are not only aware of the prevailing sexual activities, but enjoy and support the same openly.

Sexual advances are a common pass time in the Ashram and every woman has her own story. Sexual gratifications are procured to entertain VIPs, to become an Ashramite and to be in good books of the trustees. In case these so called “sadhikas” become pregnant trustees of SAAT take good care of them by providing them with appropriate medications, treatment and facilities.

This is where Tresor Nursing Home and Chitra Sen play their secret grand roles. Tresor Nursing Home takes care of all pregnancy cases of the Ashram in the name of D&C. Thus the image of these women remains clean in the Ashram community. But Chitra Sen maintains a comprehensive report about it for the benefit of the trustees of SAAT.

Tresor Nursing Home offers multifaceted approach to well-being and treatment, thus it is open to all including ashramites. Once a report of ‘services rendered’ is submitted, the Ashram dispensary reimburses Tresor Nursing Home for treatments extended its inmates.

You may wonder why I am washing dirty linen in public. Here are the astounding facts.

1. When the assault on Jayashree took place in the Ashram Dining Room on 09/01/2001 I was working as the secretary to Chitra Sen helping her in the Ashram related work. I had raised questions and objections before Chitra Sen with regard to Jayashree’s assault. But she always maintained a hostile convenient silence. Once I had also heard her talk over phone to a psychiatrist called Dr. Unni, for Jayashree’s treatment. When I squarely challenged her she kept quiet. So I knew something was fishy.
2. After Hemlata filed her civil suit in O.S. No.215/2001, i.e. 23/03/2001, a defamatory letter was sent to her. When she issued a legal notice to the trustees, they began scrambling for evidence. Mr. PP Raghavachary (inmate lawyer of SAAT) and Mr. C.S.Narasimhan suddenly began visiting frequently Tresor Nursing Home. When I asked them the reason for their visits they kept mum. In fact, every time they turned up I was asked to leave the premises under some pretext.
3. On 03/04/2001 Hemlata filed her criminal complaint for defamation against the trustees and their henchmen, which they came to know about even before receipt of court-summons. The trustees were enraged at being cited as accused so they issued illegal backdated show cause notice to my three elder sisters and to me. The show cause notice indicated that we had already been found guilty, though no enquiry had been conducted, and why trustees should punish us.
4. Thus on the 7^th of April 2001, trustees decided to punish without even giving me the chance to defend myself. Chitra Sen simply asked me to stop working without assigning any reason. I was forced to hand over the office keys, which I did with a covering letter asking the reason for stopping my work. Till date that letter remains unanswered.
5. On the same date the trustees of SAAT pulled in Tresor Nursing Home and associated it with Hemlata’s alleged pregnancy in order to hush up Jayashree’s assault on 09/01/2001. This we came to know through the Reply Notice issued answering her Legal Notice to the trustees.

A simple protest by us against the assault on Jayashree took such an ugly turn only because a few can stand firm against injustice. This hurt the ego of the male chauvinistic trustees and their henchmen. Today trustees and their henchmen (ashramites, ex-students of SAICE & trustees’ well wishers) beat the drum falsely alleging that Hemlata was in an advance stage of pregnancy of 6-7 months. She violated the so-called golden rule of the Ashram and therefore must be expelled from the Ashram. But, then why no one raised any voice against Krishna Belliappa who became an Ashramite in 2001 and who was not expelled. While Hemlata’s character is repeatedly tainted, no action is taken against Krishna Belliappa who enjoys the status of the ashramite till date.

Why did the trustees associate his name with Hemlata? The reason is so stupid that it is laughable.

In the Ashram everybody is only known by their first name. When Krishna Chandra assaulted Jayashree, trustees tried to suppress this fact since the Oriya threatened to walk out of Dining Room en mass. Since the Dining Room primarily functions on Oriya strength, this boycott would have been a big headache for the trustees. In order to confuse which Krishna was involved, Krishna Pandya being too old, sincere unaccommodating, Krishna Belliappa, the newly inducted ashramite was picked upon. Obviously he did not toe the line for free. He was elevated to the elite circle of conspirators and given full freedom to become a womanizer like his mentor Manoj Das Gupta.

This was corroborated by the fact when Jayashree, Arunashri and Hemlata went to the Police Station. A senior police officer Mr. Anand Mohan seeing them in the police station pointed at Jayashree and asked which Krishna had made her pregnant?

With regard to Krishna - Mahabharata war ensued because of one Sri Krishna. What is going to be the fate of the Ashram trustees and their well wishers when they have heavily relied upon these two Krishnas?

Entry of National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi,

Knowing the trustees' vindictive track record and to safeguard our interests Arunashri, Nivedita and myself, went to Delhi.

In the first week of April 2005 we met Dr. Girija Vyas-ji, the then NCW Chairperson and Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman-ji, the then South Zone Head of NCW. We asked whether any report of enquiry had been submitted by SWC to NCW, as alleged in ‘The Hindu’ on 19.01.2005. We also informed them that no such copy had been furnished to us, in spite of our request, by SWC and if we could be provided with a copy of this alleged enquiry report. Even though the office was searched, no report to this effect was found. So, we requested Dr. Girija Vyas-ji to reopen our case and help us. She assured us help but said no relief could be given immediately without going through the case records.

Desperate for immediate relief we approached the National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi, (NHRC). After hearing us patiently Dr. Justice Shivaraj Patil-ji, (retd.) then a member of the commission, expressed unhappiness at our plight and harassment, especially since the same was being caused at Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry. He had been a former Justice at Madras High Court and had great regard for Ashram. He directed us to give a written complaint, which we did on the same day of our meeting.

Thereafter we returned to Pondicherry and were caught up in the fresh case O.S. No.409/2005 filed for preventing the trustees from illegally expelling us from Ashram based on the impugned report of A.V. Nagarajan. After hearing our case on 28.04.2004 Mr. N. Krishnasamy, (Hon’ble Judge of PDM, Pondicherry) granted us exparte injunction on merits. Thereafter on 10.06.2005 this injunction was made final after conducting a thorough enquiry on both sides. (See posting dated 07.02.2005)

In May 2005 Arunashri received intimation of an enquiry being conducted by IGP, Pondicherry, on behalf of NHRC. A big drama ensued since without conducting any enquiry IGP Mr. Meena, had already sent his report, based on the media clipping of 19.01.2005 and the alleged acquittal of the accused in S.T.R. No.7919/2004 (based on F.I.R. No.213/2004 filed for our sexual harassment). (See posting dated 19.09.2004, 14.10.2004, 09.05.2005 and 18.10.2014 about corrupt police).

Pretending to correct their illegal act, Mr. Meena, (then IGP) constituted an enquiry by appointing one N.T. Sivadasan, as the enquiry officer, who also conducted no proper enquiry. However his alleged report never reached us nor was ever forwarded to NHRC. The trustees fabricated this report in 2008 with the help of N.T.Sivadasan for filing the same in their C.R.P. No.3314/2007. The trustees also circulated this report as report of NHRC to thwart our claims of sexual harassment and project us in bad light. (See posting dated 15.07.2008).

NHRC has closed our case and issued orders dated 07.11.2005 and 24.03.2006, stating that since NCW was investigating the matter, no interference was needed. On receipt of N.T.Sivadasan’s report we filed application under RTI for a copy of it from NHRC. There is no mention of N.T.Sivadasan’s report in their communication.

Our RTI application and the answer from NHRC are produced below.

Some Corrupt Officers of Pondicherry Police cause Blatant Miscarriage of Justice

Many Officers of the Pondicherry police have been active helpers of the Ashram trustees. To name a few – Mr. J.P. Singh (IPG), Mr. Ananda Mohan (senior officer), Mr. Firoz Zia Hussain (SP North), Mr. Meena (IGP), Mr. N.T.Sivadasan (SP North), Mrs. Thamizharasi (SP), Mr. Srikant (SSP – Law & Order), Mrs. Chhaya Sharma (SSP – C&I), Mr. Varadarajan (SHO – Muthialpet)

But there have also been some upright impartial Police Officers – Mr. Krishnaiah (IGP), Mr. Chandran (SSP – Law & Order), Mr. Baskarane (senior officer)

I am citing instances where we sisters have been denied justice by Pondicherry Police.

1. On 23.03.2001 Hemlata gave a complaint of manhandling and assault but is issued with a Report in Non-Cognizable Offence on 24.03.2001, directing her to seek civil reliefs. (See posting dated 24.03.2001)
2. The complaint dated 05.08.2004 by Arunashri is never taken up. We sent this complaint by RPAD expecting police to play foul. They lived up to our expectations. The police deny having received this complaint but we have postal registration slip and A/D card to prove our point.
3. On 17.09.2004 police dictates complaint to register FIR. Most of Arunashri’s statement is overlooked but at least FIR No.213/2004 is registered. (see posting dated 19.09.2004)
4. On 13.10.2004 police issues summons to Arunashri for production of pornographic chits in FIR 213/2004. But since on the same day they have already received three fresh chits from our rooms at Ambabhikshu House, they don’t take the five original chits which are available with us. We still have them. (See posting dated 14.10.2004)
5. In spite of our repeated visits to Muthialpet police station, where FIR 213/2004 had been registered,  we were not kept informed about the proceedings of the criminal case in S.T.R. No.7919/2004 which was filed based on FIR No.213/2004 before Judicial Magistrate II at Pondicherry. We were never called to the court to give evidence. We were given no opportunity to cross-examine the accused. We came to know about the acquittal of accused first through NHRC’s Order dated 07.11.2005 but no order of acquittal has till date been furnished to us by the Pondicherry police. The only copy which we have received is through the trustees on 04.06.2007 when they filed the said Order of Acquittal in their typeset of documents in C.R.P. No.3314/2007.
6. We were denied food on 22.07.2010 by the trustees using the illegal intimidation of Pondicherry police. Even though Mr. Chandra Mohan (Chief Secretary in 2010) regretted the mistake of the police, they did not help us to restore it by appropriate directions to the trustees.

Produced below is the Order of Acquittal in S.T.R. No.7919/2004 furnished by the trustees to us. The Pondicherry Police buried this Order to harass us and help the trustees. Till date the police has not had the courtesy to give us a copy of this report.

Will Mr. Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya Regret His Support?

Persons with the description pointing to Matriprasad, Nirmal Swain and Devdip Ganguly, were seen coming out of Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya’s chamber on 13.10.2014 before the court-sitting.  If it is true why did such a meeting take place?

On 16.10.2014 Nirmal was spotted in the Supreme Court premises. Are there more pending cases relating to the Ashram other than (1) writ filed by Dr. Gayatri Sathapathy, (2) writ filed by Ramanathan and others, and (3) contempt filed against the five inmate-sisters?

Why is Nirmal Swain, accompanied by the two others, definitely Matriprasad, still hanging in and around Supreme Court? What mischief are they up to now? Are they trying to revoke the ban imposed by the Government on the denigrating book “The Lives of Sri Aurobindo” to continue their open support of Peter Heehs and rename ‘Sri Aurobindo Ashram’ as ‘Sri Sri Sri Peter Heehs Aphrodisiac Resort’? Or are there more little known cases against the trustees of Ashram challenging their ever-increasing mismanagement?

As it is, contrary to the claim of the Ashram trustees, a huge number of cases are currently pending before various High Court across the country and before the Supreme Court. And apparently the trustees prefer if the number of cases is on the rise because only then can they truly enjoy their favorite pastime – ‘inmate baiting’. Unfortunately the Ashram trustees forget that they represent and head a spiritual institution and behave worse than normal power-hungry men. Since these trustees take refuge behind the sacred names of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother ultimately we poor inmates face the brunt of it.

It is high time that at least proper rules and regulation for the administration of the Ashram be prepared and proper bye-laws incorporated in the Trust Deed and in the meantime the present unethical trustees be suspended as hastily as possible to curb and stop useless expenditures in frivolous cases.

Thank You Dr. Girija Vyas-ji

We wish to gratefully thank the following stalwarts for helping us and giving us some relief at least. How these people in authority helped us in spite of adverse pressure is truly noteworthy. 

1. Dr. Girija Vyas, (ex-Chairperson of NCW, New Delhi and presently MP)
2. Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman (present Cabinet Minister)
3. Mrs. Devi Matthews (ex-Director of DWCD, Pondicherry)
4. Mrs. Meena (ex- Deputy Director of DWCD, Pondicherry)
5. Mr. T.M. Balakrishnan, I.A.S. (ex-Secretary (Welfare), Pondicherry)
6. Mr. Vasanthakumar, I.A.S. (ex Sub-Divisional Magistrate cum Deputy Collector at Pondicherry)
7. Mr. Vijaykumar Bidhuri, I.A.S. (ex Sub-Divisional Magistrate cum Deputy Collector at Pondicherry)
8. Mr. Ashokan (Assisting Mr. Vasanthakumar and Mr. V. Bidhuri)

Since May 2004 all the five sisters, one after another, began facing degrading, humiliating and traumatic sexual harassment at the hands of trustees' henchmen. Our sexual harassment was masterminded by Nirmal Swain, an inmate-lawyer who got his law degree through dubious means having completed a 3 years course of law in 6 years. He was the gang-leader of the group comprising mainly of his father Bhagawan Das Swain, Krishna Chandra (who assaulted Jayashree), Girish Panda, Santosh Nayak, Shakar @ Sajjal Mitra, Chandramani Patel (who tried to molest Arunashri), Jagabandhu Rout (who I am now told was instrumental in drawing the pornographic cartoons sent to us) and the girl-friends of all these men.

Arunashri and Jayashree gave complaints to Mr. Bhaktavachalam and Mr. Udaybhaskar, (President and Secretary of Bar Association at Pondicherry and both of whom were then representing the Ashram Trustees in Hemlata's criminal case). Our complaints and requests to stop the sexual harassment, though these lawyers, fell on the deaf and sadistic trustees.

We sisters were constrained to meet personally the trustees during their Trust Board meeting on 26.07.2004 and voice our complaint. The trustees openly sided with these men and literally called us names. Their stance exposed their collusion to the sexual harassment faced by us. (See posting dated 26.07.2004)

However on 03.08.2004 when Chandramani Patel tried to molest Arunashri, we got really scared and started giving out written complaints to various authorities who could help us.

1. On 04.08.2004 complaint to Manoj Das Gupta, Managing Trustee of Ashram
2. On 05.08.2004 complaint to Pondicherry Police
3. On 06.08.2004 complaint to National Commission for Women

The then NCW Chairperson Mrs. Poornima Advani, hands over our case to the then newly appointed Chairperson Mrs. S. Kamalini of SWC. We were relieved that at last we are going to get justice only to be thoroughly disillusioned. Without conducting any enquiry, on 19.01.2005, Mrs. Advani and Mrs. Kamalini gave statements to the effect that a report had been given by SCW to NCW finding our complaints of sexual harassment to be false. But they also gave a most revealing direction through the newspapers that men and women in the Ashram should be segregated. (See postings dated 06.10.2004 and 20.01.2005).

In spite of our written request no copy of the alleged report was furnished to us by Mrs. Kamalini (SWC). By then through the devious manipulations of the trustees, an impugned report had been created by them through the most appropriately initiated and conducted enquiry proceedings. Based on this impugned report trustees were trying to expel the five sisters. We were constrained to approach NCW and NHRC (National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi) in the first week of April 2005.

Luckily for us Dr. Girija Vyas had replaced Mrs. Poornima Advani. We met Dr. Girija Vyas (M.P.) and Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman (present cabinet minister) both of whom were genuinely concerned for our welfare. In spite of their thorough search they were unable to unearth the report as reported on 19.01.2005 by Mrs. Poornima Advani and Mrs. Kamalini. So Dr. Girija Vyas reopened our case through the Department of Women and Child Development, Pondicherry (DWCD). This enquiry is still pending with the Pondicherry Government. (See postings dated 19.03.2007, 06.08.2008)

Because of Dr. Girija Vyas, at the first instance, later with the help and concern of all the above-named persons, we have managed to sustain our dignity to a very great extent. All of us thank these upright persons once again for all the help that they have extended towards our welfare.

THEFT in Sri Aurobindo Ashram?

It is rumored that there has been a huge theft from Sri Aurobindo Ashram to the tune of 8 Crores. Why have the trustees not given a complaint to the police? Or is it that this huge sum has been spent by the trustees while extending hospitality and for the entertainment of three high profile judges who visited the Ashram Trustees 

1. Chief Justice of India, Mr. Justice R.M. Lodha, visited on 16.08.2014
2. Supreme Court Judge, Mr. Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya, visited on 13.09.2014
3. Chief Justice of Madras High Court, Mr. Justice S.K. Kaul, visited on 03.10.2014

Probably that is why Mr. Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya is supporting them so blatantly at the cost of his own personal reputation.

Most Glaring Bloopers of Menon’s Enquiry

Immediately after Mr. Menon packed up from Pondicherry after completing the enquiry, Matriprasad pitched his tent at Madras. The impugned undated report submitted by Mr. Menon reeks of Matriprasad’s way of thinking and style of logic. It is rumored that Mr. Menon was paid Rs.75 Lakhs apart from other huge perks. I think we can safely take this figure with a pinch of salt in the northern direction. 

1. No explicit charges were framed against me and I was given no chance to refute the same.
2. No evidence of my misconduct was produced, it was all hearsay.
3. Trustees’ witnesses were given 3 ½ days for being examined and cross-examined. I was given mere three hours.
4. Witnesses produced before Mr. Menon were different from the witnesses produced before Mr. Natarajan.
5. The common witnesses’ statement was different in each enquiry.
6. Krishna Belliappa, newly inducted inmate, with whom I was supposed to have carried on with and become pregnant, denied outright his role. (implying I had immaculate conception with Manoj Das Gupta as the father since Manoj Das Gupta is self-proclaimed incarnation of the Divine??!!!!)
7. Krishna Belliappa, in spite of being accused of the same misconduct, was examined by the trustees’ as their witness. (implying clear collusion.)
8. Statements of trustees’ witnesses were contradictory.
9. Alleged medical and other relevant records pertaining to my alleged pregnancy were available at Tresor Nursing Home, claimed Chitra Sen. But she deliberately failed to produce them since there were no records to produce.
10. Statements of my witnesses and myself were not correctly recorded even though we protested. Mr. Menon deliberately omitted to record our statements which were detrimental to the trustees’ interest. He almost threatened us to that effect saying that if we did not stop protesting he would not record any of our statements.
11. Dr. Prabhavathy, who alleged to have examined me when I was 6-7 months pregnant, gave a contradictory statement to the statement of the nurse who is supposed to have also examined me with her.
12. Dr. Prabhavathy is Prabhakar Runpanagunta’s @ Batti’s sister. She gave statement on behalf of the trustees on condition that Batti be made a trustee of Ashram.
13. The medical records produced by the trustees comprised on a medicine disbursement list of Ashram Dispensary. Through this list the trustees tried to prove my alleged pregnancy by the medicines I had received. Now interestingly this list contained names of men (old and young), women (old and young) and children all of who had also received each and every one of the medicine that I had been given. I was declared to be pregnant through this register, but all the other child-bearing-aged women inmates and probable male inmates, were left scott free. This indeed is a miraculous diagnosis of medical feat being achieved by a truly spiritualized Dr. Dilip Datta!
14. Lastly I was found to be 6 to 7 months pregnant by trustees’ witnesses as on 10.01.2001. Now Mr. Menon comes to the conclusion, based on the non-evidence produced before him, that I became pregnant towards the end of the year 2000 (implying November/December 2000). But by 10.01.2001, the date on which Dr. Prabhavathy had alleged to have examined me at Tresor Nursing Home, I was 6 to 7 months pregnant.

 A very interesting fact to note at this point is the date on which Dr. Prabhavathy claims to have examined me – 10.01.2001. On 09.01.2001, just a day before my eldest sister Jayashree is brutally assaulted. After Dr. Prabhavathy’s statement her brother Prabhakar Rupanagunta @ Batti becomes Ashram trustee. Do you really feel the dates are a coincidence???!!!

The First Phase of Litigation

The first phase of litigation between the trustees and we five sisters began on and from 23.03.2001. The circumstances and cause of action for all multifaceted arose from the point where Jayashree was brutally assaulted in the presence of one of the trustees of Ashram, one Veda Prakash Johar, who did nothing to stop the inhuman assault. Thereafter the trustees tried their best to suppress the incident of assault. But because of our persistent demand for justice, we were all targeted one by one.

On 21.03.2001 Hemlata was issued a chit saying that her name had been removed from ‘Prosperity List’ of the Ashram. Prosperity List is a list of all the inmates who are being taken care of in every way by the Ashram and are completely dependent on the Ashram for their survival. Based on this chit Hemlata filed a civil suit for permanent injunction on 23.03.2001 in the morning in O.S. No.215/2001 before the Hon’ble I Additional Munsif at Pondicherry. (See postings of 09.01.2001, 30.03.2001 and 13.09.2002)

As a way to shush me for repeatedly demanding and later threatening to go to the police to lodge a complaint for Jayashree’s assault, the trustees punished me by allowing me to take food only through carrier service. I complied for about three weeks then realizing that we were being needlessly targeted, I wrote to the concerned trustees that I was going to resume taking my food at the Ashram Dining Room. On 22/3/2001 I was allowed to take food from the Dining Room counter. But on 23.03.2001 when with my four elder sisters I went for breakfast none of us were given food. (See posting of 24.03.2001).

After I filed O.S. No.215/2001 I was charged with false allegation of misconduct. After issuing appropriate legal notice for defamation I filed a criminal case defamation in S.T.R. No.864/2001 on 03.04.2001 before the Judicial Magistrate I of Pondicherry where the then trustees and their three henchmen were accused of defaming me and spreading lies about me. (See postings of 15.05.2001, 06.11.2001 and 24.11.2004). The accused were acquitted because the judge had been compromised. I have preferred a criminal appeal in Cr.A. No.477/2005 challenging the unjust acquittal and it is pending disposal before the Hon’ble Madras High Court. But till date this case remains the only one where all the trustees appeared in person as accused and faced the Judge and because of this indigestible humiliation the trustees have never forgiven my family and me.

The trustees came to know about this criminal case even before the notice reached them. They were furious and targeted my four elder sisters also. My sisters were issued with an illegal show cause notice backdated to 02.04.2001. This show cause notice already contained the punishment even without going into the veracity of the allegations made against them. My sisters were falsely accused of ‘misbehavior and defiance’. On 09.04.2001 they filed O.S. No.253/2001 challenging the malafide show cause notice issued to them before the Hon’ble I Additional District Munsif at Pondicherry. For ten long years needlessly the battled raged on in this case. (See postings on 15.04.2001 and 09.04.2010)

Since the trustees misrepresented before the Hon’ble Madras High Court, my suit in O.S. No.215/2001 was summarily terminated and Mr. Menon was appointed as the third enquiry officer to conduct an enquiry into the allegations of misconduct leveled against me. He submitted to my lawyer at Madras/ Chennai a perverse undated report and before the trustees could take action based on Mr. Menon’s impugned report I challenged the same on 14.11.2002 by filing O.S. No.668/2002 before the Hon’ble I Additional District Munsif at Pondicherry. (See postings dated 14.11.2002, 03.12.2002, 01.03.2003 and 23.09.2008). The trial has been underway for the past four years and it could have been finished had the trustees not delayed and protracted the proceedings, which they are still doing. The trustees have had to pay fine two times of Rs.2,000/- for failing to conduct the trial of the case.

The easiest way to discredit and humiliate a lady is by casting aspersion on her character, conduct and behavior. This is how all the five sisters were subjected to gross humiliation. As we kept challenging the unjust actions of the trustees the first phase of the litigation unfolded.

The Root Cause and Synopsis of Fourteen Years of Litigation

Jayashree’s brutal assault on 09.01.2001 and our persistent demand for justice from the trustees resulted in 14 years of litigation starting from 23.03.2001 till date. It is interesting to note the manner in which Krishna Chandra, who had assaulted Jayashree, and even his sister were greatly rewarded by the trustees. After undergoing a short probation period they were made ashramites and presently enjoy all the facilities and amenities of the Ashram but we are being denied the same. This is spiritual justice so claim the unspiritual power-hungry trustees.

From 09.01.2001 for more than two months we were persistent in our demand for justice for Jayashree and patiently waited for the trustees to take action to that effect. Instead we came to know that the trustees were busy trying to suppress the assault on Jayashree by creating false circumstantial evidence in order to declare her to be a mental case. Hemlata threatened to go to the police and lodge a complaint on her sister’s behalf. Thus began a series of court cases. 

1. O.S. No.215/2001 (I Additional District Munsif at Pondicherry) – Hemlata vs. SAAT and its trustees – challenging the attempted illegal expulsion by the trustees. Suit is summarily terminated by the Madras High Court on 13.09.2002.
2. O.S. No.253/2001 (I Additional District Munsif at Pondicherry) – Jayashree, Arunashri, Rajyashri, Nivedita Vs. SAAT and its trustees – challenging the illegal show cause notice dated 02.04.2001. Suit is dismissed on 09.03.2007.
3. S.T.R. No.864/2001 (Judicial Magistrate I at Pondicherry) – Hemlata vs. Harikant Patel, Veda Prakash Johar, Manoj Das Gupta, Dilip Datta, Albert Paterl, Krishna Belliappa, Manjunath, Satyanarayanamurthy, - filed for defamation against the above-named accused persons. Magistrate visited Sri Aurobindo Ashram with Matriprasad and enjoyed the hospitality of the trustees. He was totally comprised and he wrongly acquitted the accused on 23.11.2004
4. C.R.P. No. 2230/2001 & No. 2534/2001 in O.S.No.253/2001 (Madras High Court) – two revisions filed by sisters and the trustees against each other challenging different portions of the order passed in I.A. No.935/2001 in O.S. No.253/2001. Common order was passed on 29.10.2001 disposing off both the CRPs.
5. C.R.P. No.787/2002 (Madras High Court) – SAAT and its trustees vs. Hemlata – trustees challenge the order passed in I.A. No. 2672/2001 in O.S. No.215/2001. Since the trustees had claimed that prior to expelling Hemlata they had conducted an “in camera enquiry”, the Hon’ble Trial Court had not permitted the trustees to constitute a second enquiry against her by appointing Suresh Chandra De as enquiry officer. So they filed this CRP under Article 227 of the Constitution. Order passed on 13.09.2002 terminating O.S. No.215/2001 because trustees give undertaking of restoring all facilities as inmate to Hemlata. Mr. Menon is appointed as the enquiry officer by the High Court of Madras. He is the third enquiry officer in a third enquiry-proceedings for the same alleged offence of misconduct.
6. Contempt No.718/2002 (Madras High Court) - SAAT and its trustees vs. 4 sisters - trustees file a contempt proceedings against five sisters. They have appointed Suresh Chandra De (IPS) as enquiry officer. We challenge his appointment enquiry at Pondicherry. Orders passed on 24.01.2003 stating no contempt of court committed by sisters.
7. O.S. No.668/2002 (I Additional District Munsif at Pondicherry) – Hemlata vs. SAAT and its trustees – challenging the impugned report of Mr. Menon, the third enquiry officer. Trial underway for 4 years. Trustees have paid two times fine of Rs.2,000/- each for failing to conduct the trial.
8. F.I.R. No.213/2004 resulting in S.T.R. No.7919/2004 (Judicial Magistrate II at Pondicherry) – Pondicherry police (on behalf of Arunashri) vs. Girish Panda and others. The FIR was registered for the sexual harassment and attempt to molestation faced by Arunashri. We were never called to give evidence in the case. Accused were acquitted without a trial. No order copy was furnished to us by the police or from the JM II court.
9. O.S. No.409/2005 (Principal District Munsif at Pondicherry) – five sisters vs. SAAT and its trustees – challenging the impugned report of Mr. A.V. Nagarajan. This enquiry was constituted wrongly and with a malafide intention to thwart, suppress and frustrate our efforts to get justice for the sexual harassment faced by us. Trial underway for 4 years. Trustees have paid two times fine of Rs.2,000/- each for failing to conduct the trial.
10. C.M.A. No.7/2005 (Principal Sub Judge at Pondicherry) – SAAT and its trustees vs. Hemlata – trustees challenge the order passed in interim petition in I.A. No.2937/2002 in O.S. No.668/2002 granting Hemlata status quo as an inmate of Ashram and which restrains the trustees from denying, depriving and stopping all the facilities as provided to every inmate. Trustees' appeal dismissed on 30.01.2007.
11. C.M.A. No.35/2005 (Principal Sub Judge at Pondicherry) – SAAT and its trustees vs. five sisters – trustees challenge the order passed in interim petition in I.A. No.1500/2005 in O.S. No.409/2005 granting all five sisters status quo as inmates of Ashram and restrains the trustees from denying, depriving and stopping all the facilities as provided to every inmate.Trustees' appeal dismissed on 30.01.2007
12. Cr.Appeal No.477/2005 (Madras High Court) – Hemlata vs. Veda Prakash Johar, Manoj Das Gupta, Dilip Datta, Albert Paterl, Krishna Belliappa, Manjunath, Satyanarayanamurthy – challenging the order of acquittal passed in S.T.R. No.864/2001 by JM I, Pondicherry. Criminal Appeal is still pending.
13. A.S. No.24/2007 (Principal Sub Judge at Pondicherry) - four sisters Vs. SAAT and its trustees - sisters file appeal against the order 09.03.2007 dismissing O.S. No.253/2001. Orders passed on 09.04.2010 dismissing our appeal.
14. T.O.P. No.85/2007 (Principal District Judge) – Hemlata vs. SAAT and its trustees – transfer petition filed by Hemlata for conducting a joint trial of O.S. No.668/2002 and O.S. No.409/2005. TOP allowed on 23.09.2008 permitting joint trial. Trustees pay fine for the first time of Rs.375/-.
15. C.R.P. No.3037/2007 (Madras High Court) – SAAT and its trustees vs. Hemlata – trustees challenge the order passed in C.M.A. No.7/2005 passed by PSJ, Pondicherry which confirmed the order passed in I.A. No.2937/2002 in O.S.No.668/2002 granting Hemlata status quo as an inmate of Ashram and which restrained the trustees from denying, depriving and stopping all the facilities as provided to every inmate. Order passed on 19.12.2008 adopting the order passed in C.R.P. No.3314/2007.
16. C.R.P.No.3314/2007 (Madras High Court) – SAAT and its trustees vs. five sisters – trustees challenge the order passed in C.M.A. No.35/2005 passed by PSJ, Pondicherry which confirmed the order passed in I.A. No.1500/2005 in O.S.No.409/2005 granting Hemlata status quo as an inmate of Ashram and which restrained the trustees from denying, depriving and stopping all the facilities as provided to every inmate. Order dated 29.01.2008 is passed.
17. M.P. No.1/2008 in C.R.P.No.3314/2007 (Madras High Court) – SAAT and its trustees vs. five sisters – trustees seek to modify the Order dated 29.01.2008 passed in C.R.P. No.3314/2007 under the guise of clarification. Order dated 04.08.2008 is passed.
18. C.R.P. No.3759/2008 – (Madras High Court) – SAAT and its trustees vs. Hemlata – trustees challenge the order passed in T.O.P. No.85/2007 for conducting joint trial. On 28.11.2008 High Court passed an order directing to conduct simultaneous trial in O.S. No.668/2002 and O.S. No.409/2005. They have to be tried separately without one prejudicing the other.
19. M.P. No.2/2008 in C.R.P.No.3314/2007 (Madras High Court) – SAAT and its trustees vs. five sisters –Order dated 04.08.2008 passed in M.P. No.1/2008 in C.R.P. No.3314/2007 is a modified version of the order passed 29.01.2008 passed in C.R.P. No.3314/2007 under the guise of a clarification. For a second time trustees seek to modify to their convenience the high court order under the guise of clarification. Order dated 21.06.2010 is passed.
20. F.I.R. No.272/2010 (Chief Judicial Magistrate at Pondicherry) – Jayashree vs. Pondicherry Police – for getting directions to register an FIR for the assault denial of food which occurred on 22.07.2010 at Ashram Dining Room.
21. F.I.R. No.273/2010 (Chief Judicial Magistrate at Pondicherry) – Hemlata vs. Pondicherry Police – for getting directions to register an FIR for the assault denial of food which occurred on 22.07.2010 at Ashram Dining Room.
22. C.R.P. No.4219/2010 – SAAT and its trustees vs. five sisters – trustees challenge interim order passed in I.A. No.2094/2010 restoring food and all the basic amenities and facilities of the Ashram. On 22.07.2010 the trustees had forcibly and illegally implemented the exparte Order dated 21.06.2010 passed in M.P. No.2/2008 in C.R.P. No.3314/2007 and stopped our food and all facilities as inmates. Order dated 03.08.2012 is passed.
23. Contempt Petition No.1483/2010 (Madras High Court) – SAAT and its trustees vs. five sisters – trustees file contempt proceedings against us because we did not follow the unexecutable order dated 21.06.2010 since the third party prevented its execution. No contempt is held.
24. S.L.P. No.27620/2012 (Supreme Court) – five sisters vs. SAAT and its trustees – we challenge the order dated 03.08.2012 passed in C.R.P. No.4216/2010. Stay is granted on --- by Justice Gokhale and Justice Nijjar. Unexecutable final orders are passed under two minutes by Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice Ranjan Gogoi on 29.04.2014 who do not even give us an opportunity to be heard.
25. Contempt No.395/2014 (Supreme Court) – SAAT and its trustees vs. five sisters – Trustees file contempt against five sisters for not following an unexecutable order dated 29.04.2014 passed by Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice Ranjan Gogoi. Ironically, after visiting the Ashram and enjoying the hospitality of the trustees and … Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya issues arrest warrant against the five sisters in spite of having gone through our letter where we express our inability to appear before the court because we have no means.

Some Highlights of the Harassment and Victimization faced by five sisters at the hands of the trustees

I list below several occasions when we sisters have been assaulted, harassed, victimized, either on the instructions of the trustees or by their henchmen acting out of self-interest. 

1. On 09.01.2001 at about 6.15 a.m. Jayashree Prasad, my eldest sister was brutally assaulted by one Krishnachander of Odhisha in front of Veda Prakash Johar (Ashram trustee and in-charge of Ashram Dining Room). He was then a voluntary worker at Ashram Dining Room wherein she was working and also Veda Prakash Johar’s protégé. As a reward of this assault he was made an inmate of the Ashram. (For more details read posting dated 09.01.2001)
2. On 23.03.2001 all the sisters are denied breakfast at Ashram Dining Room. Hemlata is manhandled by inmates Manjunath and Satyanarayanamurthy. We were denied breakfast as a punishment because we were presistent in our demand for action to be taken against Krishna Chandra who had assaulted Jayashree. We gave a written complaint to the police for denial of food, for assault on Jayashree and manhandling of Hemlata. (For more details read posting dated 23.03.2001)
3. On 03.08.2004 – Arunashri Prasad, my second elder sister, was attempted to be molested by one Chandramani Patel. He had been harassing her for quite some time by sending pornographic chits and making sexual advances which she was determinedly refusing. (For more details read postings dated 03.08.2004, 19.09.2004 and 13.10.2004)
4. On 01.06.2004 at about 8 a.m. I was beaten up by one inmate Dhiraj Bannerjee in front of my relatives who were present for no apparent cause except following trustees’ direction.
5. (For more details read posting dated 01.06.2006)
6. On 29.12.2006 at about 4 p.m. Arunashri Prasad was dragged by her hair and brutally beaten up by Subhashini Mohanty at the Ashram Laundry in front of its acting incharge.
7. (For more details read posting dated 29.12.2006)
8. On 22.07.2010 at about 12 p.m. Jayashree and myself we were beaten under instructions of the trustees by  Purushottam Kothari, Maya Khandelwal, Matriprasad, Jahnavi Ravikanti, and we were denied food at the Ashram Dining. The police were brought to the Ashram Dining Room to forcibly implement the Order of the Madras High Court dated 21.06.2010. (For more details read posting dated 22.07.2010)
9. On 25.11.2013 Jayashree is threatened and intimidated at about 3.00 a.m. by Michale Neville, Prashant, Chandramani Patel. (For more details read posting 30.11.2013)