Swami Chaitanyanand Saraswati, accused of sexually harassing several women students, had made fake visiting cards of BRICS and the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), according to the Delhi Police. On one card, he called himself a “BRICS Commission Member” and “Special Envoy from India.” On another, he falsely described himself as a “Permanent Ambassador” of the UN.

Chaitanyanand was arrested from a hotel in Agra early Sunday morning. Before this, he kept changing hotels, more than 15 times, to escape arrest. Police said he chose hotels near religious places so he could blend in.

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False claims of PMO links

Investigators revealed that Chaitanyanand and his aides claimed to have links with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). His associates made calls to different people suggesting he was connected to the PMO, which helped him get support and cooperation while hiding, according to a report by India Today.

The accused, also known as Partha Sarathy, is the former director of the Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management in Vasant Kunj, Delhi. He is facing serious charges of sexually harassing female students, many of whom were enrolled under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) scholarship category.

The Indian Air Force had lodged a complaint against him for molesting female students. Soon after, on August 4, he fled Delhi. Police say he would call students to his room at night and threaten to fail them if they resisted his advances.

Three hostel wardens of the institute have also been accused of helping Chaitanyanand by deleting messages that could expose him. Their statements have been recorded by the police.

WhatsApp chat evidence of abuse

Police recovered WhatsApp chats from nearly 50 women students, showing explicit messages and incidents of physical abuse spanning over 16 years. The evidence suggests long-term exploitation. Investigators also suspect that CCTV footage from the institute was deleted. The DVR has been sent for forensic examination to check for tampering.

In early August, 17 women students filed complaints at the Defence Colony Police Station, accusing him of harassment. Investigators believe he has been preying on women for almost two decades, managing to escape earlier molestation cases in 2009 and 2016.

When the scandal came out, Chaitanyanand was in London. Later, he was traced to Agra. Though he filed for anticipatory bail in the Delhi High Court, he soon withdrew his petition.

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Luxury car with fake UN plates

Police seized his red Volvo car, which carried multiple fake number plates with the UN insignia. Investigations confirmed that none of the plates were genuine and were fabricated by him. Police are still investigating the case. With multiple layers of fraud, abuse and escape attempts coming to light, the case against Chaitanyanand continues to grow stronger.