mid-day Exclusive! Hot yoga guru Bikram Choudhury axed, but what next?

Indian Yoga guru Bikram Choudhury at Beverly Hills California PicGetty Images and Minakshi Micki JafaBoddenLast Monday a Los Angeles Superior Court judge Mark A Borenstein ordered Bikram Choudhury to hand over funds from his book sales and 700 yoga studios to Minakshi Micki JafaBodden who filed a sexual harassment sex discrimination retaliation case in June 2013 The order which also directed him to turn over his collection of 43 luxury cars including 13 RollsRoyces eight Bentleys and three Ferraris to JafaBodden has come a year since the trial began Last year at this time JafaBoddens lawyers were calling witnesses and the jury was hearing evidence The same month saw her ordeal come to an end when the court finally ruled in her favour But the case is far from over JafaBodden tells us over email from Los Angeles Excerpts from the interviewQ It has been a testing year for you How does it feel to have finally won the case Did you celebrateA This case is far from over but I do feel that the recent orders have sent a clear message to Bikram Choudhury that he will be held accountable He has not paid a penny of the judgement hence various court orders have been obtained by my lawyers which provide that all income streams to Bikram are to be cut off as Bikram Yoga studios are now prohibited from sending him any money We are empowered now to seize and sell all the Bikram Yoga intellectual property including his valuable trademarks and his copyright to the Bikram Yoga teacher training material This means Bikram will no longer be able to hold his lucrative teacher trainings for Bikram Yoga or to issue licences and franchises to any yoga studios anywhere in the worldQ Tell us about the emotional trauma you went through during the trialA I went to hell and back It has been extraordinarily traumatic and difficult for me both financially and mentally But I do see closure ahead and I am thankful for thatmiddays reports from 2016 on Minakshi JafaBoddens case Q You have been granted Bikrams entire empire Do you plan to run the empireA I am evaluating my options and am encouraged that justice is being served My thoughts are with everyone who had to put up with Bikrams illegal unacceptable and predatory conduct for all these years I know it has come as a relief to many Bikram yoga studios around the world to no longer have him at the helm I intend to work to repair the business and surround our community with the support marketing programming and expertise to help millions of yoga practitioners As you know there was significant concern about the impact of Bikram Choudhurys sexual assault lawsuits on the Bikram Yoga brand Many in the community have called for a separation of the man from the yogaQ Are you still a practioner of the hot yoga formA Yes It is a fantastic and beneficial style of yoga I intend to protect the series and do all I can to promote it for the benefit of the studios and the Bikram Yoga teachers who through no fault of their own have suffered as a result of his conductQ His fleet of 43 cars has gone missing Are you taking help to retrieve themA For me it really isnt about the cars It is Bikram who derives his selfworth from material possessions It is not at all surprising that Bikram and his cohorts have gone to such lengths to hide the luxury cars He has always considered himself above the law The Los Angeles Police department have been notified as this is clear contempt of court as well as a violation of the California Penal Code Should those vehicles be recovered they will be sold to help with my legal bills and so onQ Do you think justice has been doneA I believe justice is being served and that ultimately Bikram will be held responsible and accountable for his behaviourQ What support did you receive from the other students who faced similar harassment from Bikram ChoudhuryA The yoga community as a whole has been very supportive there was still an element of fear and reluctance to come forward as Bikram ran his company like a cult But I would hope that people can see the light finally breaking through the darknessQ It is a new beginning for you What are you most looking forward toA It is premature to answer that question There is still so much work to be done in enforcement of the jurys awardQ Any message you would like to give womensimilar victims world over in voicingreporting harassment casesA My message would be to stay strong speak up and hopefully be inspired to fight back no matter the personal cost to you There are good lawyers and HR professionals out there whose job is to help women who are experiencing harassment in the workplace Use these resources File police reports and inform the media wherever appropriate and continue to support other women particularly those who are vulnerable and lacking in resources to mount legal battlesQ Lastly what has this phase in your life taught youA That help comes from the unlikeliest of places Carla Minnard and I were once adversaries lawyers on opposite sides of the Pandhora Williams litigation and yet she came forward and helped me raise an army to go back and fight Bikram It almost sounds like a story from the Mahabharata