Nityananda's disciples offer to undergo narco test

Rejecting all allegations against controversial self-styled godman Nityananda, two of his disciples, who are co-accused in the chargesheet against him, on Saturday volunteered to undertake narco-analysis test, saying they want the truth to prevail.

Nitya Bhaktananda and Nitya Sachitananda also challenged Lenin Karuppan, who had exposed the alleged sex scandal by releasing a secretly-recorded video, as also the "so-called victims and witnesses" to undergo such a test. "Let the truth come out. We have nothing to hide," they told mediapersons in Bengaluru, as they expressed distress over "so many allegations, hearsay, so much of information and all kinds of stories."

Nityananda and four of his associates, including Bhaktananda and Sachitandanda, have been accused of rape and unnatural sex in a chargesheet filed in a court by the criminal investigation department on November 27.

Bhaktananda sought to brush aside a question whether Nityananda, who is embroiled in the sex scandal, would also undergo narco-analysis test. "Nityananda is beyond all this. It's inhuman and insensitive to even talk about subjecting him to a narco test. First do the test with us," he said.

Lenin, a former key aide of Nityananda, had on December 9 alleged the self-styled godman was threatening witnesses, including him, and victims of his "sleaze activities".

 He had also claimed many ex-devotees had realised the "truth" about Nityananda and left him after the scandal, but were afraid of testifying against the godman because of "continuing threats and pressure".

Nityananda was arrested from Himachal Pradesh in April after television channels telecast visuals showing him in a compromising position with an actress.