Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati was booked by the Delhi police on Wednesday following sexual harassment charges from multiple students. The self-styled godman had been the director of a management institute in the national capital and currently remains on the run. At least 17 female students allege that the godman used abusive language, sent obscene messages, and made unwanted physical advances. The police said faculty members had also pressured the students to comply with his demands.
Who is Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati?
Police said the self-styled godman had been a sanchalak (member of the management committee) at the institute. He is also known as Parthasarathy and claims to have been the caretaker of the institute in Vasant Kunj for about 12 years. Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management is a private education centre offering a variety of undergraduate, postgraduate, and certificate programs — with a focus on integrating Indian ethos and management principles.
According to an NDTV report, he had previously faced two molestation cases in 2009 and 2016 with the ashram taking no apparent action. He was briefly arrested after the first complaint was filed in Delhi.
Details about his financial status remain scarce but officials reportedly found a saffron-coloured Volvo sedan in the basement of Vasnt Kunj ashram with fake diplomatic number plates. The luxury car bore a forged UN number plate that authorities later confirmed did not exist.
NCW takes cognisance
The National Commission for Women also took suo motu cognizance of the case on Wednesday afternoon — seeking a detailed report within three days. It noted that Sarthy had been a director of Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management in Delhi and faced accused of sexual harassment, molestation. The allegations came from more than 15 female students and included pupils who were under an EWS scholarship program.
“Reports indicate that the accused used obscene language, sent lewd messages, made unwanted advances, and faculty/staff allegedly pressured students to comply with his illegal demands,” the NCW added in an X post.