BANGALORE: A popular Indian guru facing a series of assault and sexual abuse charges was in police custody yesterday after he turned himself in to court authorities.

Police ordered Swami Nithyananda, 35, to be detained for questioning after five women accused him of abusing them at his Hindu religious retreat in the southern state of Karnataka.

Nithyananda, wearing flowing saffron robes, surrendered on Wednesday to a court in Ramanagar, 35 kilometers (20 miles) from the state capital Bangalore, before he was taken into custody.

Court officials told AFP that he was due to attend a bail hearing later Thursday.

Last week Nithyananda held an unruly press conference after which some of his followers were charged with assaulting a television journalist when allegations of sexual abuse at his ashram were raised.

Nithyananda, one of many gurus in India who attract groups of devoted followers, was held in jail for 53 days in 2010 over a sex video scandal. He said the video was fake and was eventually freed on bail.

When a local television station aired the footage purportedly showing him fondling two women, angry villagers attacked his ashram, where followers practice spiritual teachings and yoga.

Nithyananda, who also operates a meditation center in Los Angeles, has previously claimed to possess paranormal powers of levitation.

For many Indians, “godmen” play an integral role in daily life, offering a pathway to enlightenment in return for spiritual devotion and donations to their ashrams, temples and charity projects.

As well as his meditation centers, Nithyananda runs a website that offers diabetes cures, radio shows, weight-loss programs and many other welfare and mental health courses, along with appeals for cash for good causes.

The site claims Nithyananda has 10 million followers in 150 countries, and that his movement is “the fastest growing spiritual community (centerd) around the youngest living enlightened master.”

When Sathya Sai Baba, one of the most prominent Indian gurus, died last year he was given a state funeral after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and huge crowds of followers had paid their last respects.