The Isha Foundation has denied allegations made by the mother of a former student of a school run by the foundation in connection with a case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Indian Penal Code. In a press release, the foundation stated that the claims were “false, malicious, and defamatory”.

According to the foundation, the incident referred to by the complainant was investigated in 2019. A case of bullying was identified, and the student concerned was issued a migration certificate. The foundation said that no incident of sexual assault had occurred at the school.

The press release noted that the elder son of the complainant continued studying at the school for three more years after the alleged incident. During this period, he reportedly sought and received recommendation letters from teachers and later wrote a positive testimonial about the school, which was published on the institution’s website. The former student also volunteered at the school after completing his education there.

The foundation added that, three months after the alleged incident, the complainant had submitted an application seeking admission for her younger son, who was about seven years old at the time.

The release further said that the complainant volunteered at the school from June 2022, but her association was terminated by March 2024 following complaints from students, parents, and teachers regarding her conduct.

The foundation alleged that the recent accusations were a result of her removal as a volunteer and termed the FIR a “calculated effort to malign the reputation of the school and the ashram”. It said that legal action had been initiated in response to the allegations.