BHUBANESWAR: Even as the absconding self-styled godman Nithyananda surfaced through a website claiming to have formed a new nation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said it is not aware of the whereabouts of the fugitive.
MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said no agency has yet approached the Ministry with information on the whereabouts of Nithyananda, who is absconding. Kumar was here to attend the regional media engagement of the MEA.
"We act on the advice of the agencies which report to us about such cases. We have to be informed that the person is believed to be living in this country along with the request for extradition. We have not received any such information on Nithyananda. Once we receive it, we will be happy to cooperate," he said.
Though the controversial godman is suspected to be hiding on an island off the Ecuador coast, the MEA spokesperson, however, made it clear that the Ministry cannot act suo motu on the recent developments in connection with Nithyananda unless there is a communication from any of the agencies probing his case. He confirmed that the godman's Indian passport has been cancelled.
Nithyananda's claims of forming the new nation came days after the Gujarat Police and CID team conducted searches at his Bengaluru ashram. Accused of rape, forceful confinement and kidnapping, he has been frequently changing his place of stay to evade arrest.
The godman claimed to have formed a new nation of his own called 'Kailaasa'. Described as the greatest Hindu nation on earth on the website, Kailaasa has own flag and emblem.
The website claims Kailaasa is a nation without borders created by dispossessed Hindus from around the world who lost the right to practice Hinduism in their own countries. It offers universal free food, healthcare and education and seeks to revive temple-based religious culture. The authenticity of the website is yet to be established.
Kumar also urged job aspirants and those who are visiting foreign countries for various purposes to properly follow the advisories issued by the MEA to prevent frauds by various dubious agencies that claim to facilitate the process.
"We have uploaded the names of empanelled agencies which are operating in India and other countries. The MEA website also has information on those which are not authorized. People need to be aware to avoid frauds," he added.