Amid reports that the controversial self-styled godman Swami Nithyananda, after fleeing the country has founded his own country “Kailaasa”, with proper flag, constitution and emblem, the Ecuadorian government has denied that it has granted asylum to self-styled Indian godman Nithyananda, wanted in India for alleged rape and abduction, or helped him purchase any land in the South American country.

In a statement, the Embassy of Ecuador said the country had in fact denied Nithyananda’s request for asylum, and he left the country for Haiti.

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The statement read, “The Embassy of Ecuador categorically denies the statement, wherever published, that self styled Guru Nithyananda was given asylum by Ecuador or has been helped by the government of Ecuador in purchasing any land or island in South America near or far from Ecuador.”

“Moreover, Ecuador denied the request for international personal protection (refuge) made by Mr Nithyananda before Ecuador and later on, Mr Nithyananda left Ecuador presumably on his way to Haiti.”

It said that all the information “published in digital and print media in India is based on the information which allegedly has been sourced from https://kailaasa.org, a website which is supposedly maintained by Mr Nithyananda or by his people”.

It urged digital or print media houses to “refrain from citing Ecuador in any form in all pieces of information related to Mr Nithyananda”.

The statement comes days after Nithyananda announced the creation of Kailaasa, a “Hindu homeland”, on an island purchased from Ecuador.

A website named Kailaasa.org had popped up suggesting that the fugitive godman has declared a ‘Hindu sovereign nation’ and even has a cabinet along with a Prime Minister.

It has also called for donations for the country and through it, an opportunity to gain citizenship of the “greatest Hindu nation”, Kailaasa. Nithyananda is now inviting people to become citizens of his “nation” and is also seeking donation to run it.

The website says, Nithyananda’s nation offers a ‘Dharmic Economy’, and a Hindu Investment and Reserve Bank, where crypto currency will be accepted. The country’s is flag known as ‘Rishabha Dhvaja’, which features Swami Nithyananda himself, along with Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva.

Last month, an FIR was registered against Nithyananda after two girls went missing from his ashram in Ahmedabad – Yogini Sarvagyapeetham. He was charged with kidnapping and wrongful confinement of children to make them collect donations from followers to run his ashram.

Swami Nithyananda is also accused of allegedly raping his former disciple under the garb of spirituality. Last month, Gujarat Police arrested two of his associates, and also booked him under charges of abduction, wrongful confinement, voluntarily causing hurt, intentional insult to provoke breach of peace and criminal intimidation under the Indian Penal Code as well as charges under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act.

The self-styled Godman Nithyananda Paramashivam has found himself embroiled in controversy many times as he has been accused of committing “serious human atrocities in the name of Hinduism” by a former yogi at his ashram. In a petition on Change.org and on YouTube, the former yogi turned ‘whistleblower’ describes how Nithyananda would torture the ashram’s inmates, in particular children.

Nithyananda’s real name is Rajashekharan and he is a native of Tamil Nadu. He opened an ashram near Bengaluru in the early 2000s. His teachings were said to be based on those of Osho Rajneesh.

According to reports, Nithyananda is now being investigated by French authorities for alleged fraud worth $400,000.