Saint & Sinner
Issue Anointment of controversial godman Nityananda as head of 1,500-year-old Madurai Adheenam
- Objection Arrested for sleaze video featuring a starlet, Nityananda had spent time in jail
- Controversy Paid Rs 1 crore in ‘dakshina’ to the math. Plans to pay an additional Rs 4 crore.
- Motive The Shaivite math is one of the richest in Tamil Nadu, owns 1,250 acres of land besides other property, including buildings
- Future Tense. Religious groups challenge anointment in court.
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Swami Nityananda, the controversial godman who had gone into hiding after a sex video featuring him and actress Ranjeetha surfaced two years ago, was arrested from a Himachal village and sent to jail for 50 days, is back in the news. This time, he is defiantly defending his anointment as head of the Madurai Adheenam, a 1,500-year-old...

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