At UN meet where Nithyananda's Kailasa attended, India's Preeti Saran was present

Preeti Saran represented India while Vijayapriya Nithyananda represented Kailasa at the UN meet. (Image: @SriNithyananda/Twitter)

Former Indian diplomat Preeti Saran was also present at a United Nations meeting in Geneva where Kailasa, the “country” set up by self-styled godman and rape-accused Nithyananda, was also present.

A woman who called herself Vijayapriya Nithyananda represented “Kailasa” as its “permanent ambassador” at a meeting of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) in Geneva last week.

Saran was also present at the same meeting where the Kailasa representative said Nithyananda is being “persecuted” by India.

Saran didn’t respond to the allegations but on a different occasion spoke about climate change and its implications. Saran was elected unopposed to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights for a term from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2022 in 2018. Saran has previously been India’s ambassador to Vietnam.

The images of a woman in saffron clothes, gold (or golden coloured) jewellery, rudraksh and a head gear were shared by Nithyananda’s Twitter account. She is referred to as "Ma Vijayapriya Nithyananda" by Kailasa on Twitter.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Vijayapriya completed her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from Canada’s University of Manitoba in 2014. She is proficient in English, French, Creole and Pidgins.

Nithyananda is the main accused in several cases in India, including rape, torture, kidnapping and wrongful confinement of children, under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He is also being reportedly investigated by French authorities for an alleged fraud of $400,000. Nithyananda fled from India in 2019.