Armed with Bombay HC order, group of Osho disciples to try and visit his samadhi in Pune today

Following a writ petition submitted by Osho’s disciples, the high court ruled on August 11 that they will be allowed to visit the samadhi at Osho Ashram in Pune’s Koregaon Park.

4 min readPuneUpdated: Aug 21, 2022 04:58 PM IST

Meanwhile, Ma Amrit Sadhana, spokesperson for the Osho Meditation Resort, said, “We have so far not received the high court order. If they (disciples) produce a copy of such an order, we will allow them to visit the samadhi." (Express photo)

Armed with a copy of a Bombay High Court order, a group of disciples of controversial spiritual leader Osho will try to enter the Osho Ashram at Koregaon Park in Pune on Sunday. After a group of disciples petitioned the high court complaining that they were not being allowed to enter the Osho Samadhi by the ashram administration, the court, in its ruling dated August 11, allowed the petitioners to visit the samadhi which is located inside the ashram.

“A group of Osho disciples will be entering the Osho Ashram around 1 pm today. This is because the Bombay High Court has given us permission to enter the Osho Ashram in its order dated August 11. We received a copy of the order two days back,” said Yogesh Thakkar, a disciple who had filed the writ petition on behalf of Osho lovers before the Bombay High Court in connection with the alienation of the property of the trust which looks after the Osho Ashram.

Know Your City | How Osho’s arrival in Pune changed Koregaon Park, a suburb with decaying mansions, into the city’s swankiest area

“Neither the respondents nor any party shall alienate or create any third-party interest in respect of the movable or immovable property of the trust without following due process of law. It is also made clear that there is no prohibition for the petitioners or devotees to visit the Samadhi. The directions are also given to protect the Osho Samadhi. The petitioners or devotees certainly can visit the Osho Samadhi,” the high court said in its order.

“It is open for the petitioners to bring it to the notice of the committee conducting an inquiry, any other factual matrix including the properties of the trust, so as to include in Schedule-I, which can certainly be considered by the committee and also the joint charity commissioner,” it added.

Regarding allegations by the disciples that they were not allowed entry, the spokesperson said they had banned some people because they had indulged in activities against the interest of the Osho Meditation Resort.

Thakkar added that the court has allowed them to enter without paying any entry fee. “The court has clearly said that there is no economical prohibition to our visit to the Samadhi,” he said. The petitioner said they will take the help of the Koregaon Park police to gain entry into the ashram. “We have already submitted a copy of the order to the Koregaon police station and are expecting them to help us in the matter,” he said.

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When asked about the matter, police inspector Vinayak Vetal said it is between the disciples and the ashram. “We have no role to play. If the ashram denies them entry, they can again approach the Bombay High Court,” he said.

Thakkar said that not allowing them to enter would amount to contempt of court. “We would certainly approach the high court again,” he said.

Speaking about the issue, Swami Chaitanya Keerti, an ex-trustee of Osho Ashram, said, ”Last month, Osho lovers from different parts of India gathered in Pune to celebrate Guru Purnima and be at Osho’s Samadhi. The management of Osho International Foundation (OIF) denied entry to many ‘banned’ disciples, but later, after the intervention of the police, allowed them in for 10 minutes.”

“A month later, the ashram management decided to celebrate the Monsoon Festival from August 11 to 15. While Osho centres across the world celebrate Osho’s birthday and Guru Purnima, they are not celebrated at Osho’s Ashram in Pune where Osho lived for more than ten years and left his body. It is a sad irony that all festivals related to Osho have been banned, but New Year and Monsoon festivals are celebrated with fanfare. The standard line maintained by the OIF is that Osho was opposed to customs and traditions,” he added.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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