The Interpol has issued a 'Blue Notice' to locate self-styled godman Nithyananda who fled India last year over cases lodged against him, Gujarat Police said on Wednesday.

While a rape case was registered against Nithyananda in Karnataka, Gujarat police lodged an FIR in November last year after two girls went missing from his ashram in Ahmedabad. 

A 'Blue Notice' is issued by the Interpol to "collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a crime."   

The disclosure was made by Gujarat Police in a charge sheet filed against him in a local court in connection with the FIR in the case.

"The Interpol issued the Blue Corner notice against the controversial godman this month," Deputy Superintendent of Police KT Kamariya was quoted as saying by PTI. 

The state police said it was working to get a Red Corner Notice issued by the Interpol against him now.

Interpol's Red Notice is issued "to seek the location and arrest of wanted persons wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence."

Earlier in December last year, the government said it had cancelled the passport of fugitive godman Nithyananda and had rejected his application for a new travel document. 

Nithyananda, who hails from Tamil Nadu, is accused of rape, kidnapping and had left the country in mysterious circumstances. He claims to have formed a Hindu nation on an island near Ecuador.

Called 'Kailasaa', the country is said to be a 'nation without borders created by dispossessed Hindus from around the world who lost the right to practice Hinduism authentically in their own countries.'

The fugitive reportedly managed to dodge security agencies and fled to Ecuador via Nepal.

Nithyananda is accused of allegedly sexually harassing his former disciple under the garb of spirituality. 

In November last year, Gujarat Police also booked him on the charges of kidnapping and wrongful confinement of children to make them collect donations from followers to run his ashram - Yogini Sarvagyapeetham - in Ahmedabad. 

Two sadhvis at the ashram were arrested last month after two children aged 9 to 10 years told the police they were tortured, made to work and kept in illegal confinement at a flat in the city for over ten days.