New Delhi: In a shocking exposé of alleged abuse of power, Delhi Police have issued a lookout circular against self-styled godman Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, accused of sexually harassing 17 female students at Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management in Vasant Kunj.
The scandal has rocked the southwest Delhi institution, where the accused served as a key management committee member, prompting raids across five states and the seizure of a luxury Volvo car bearing a forged diplomatic number plate.
The FIR, lodged on August 4 at Vasant Kunj North police station by institute administrator P A Murli, stems from complaints involving PGDM students under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) scholarship. During questioning, statements from 32 female students revealed a pattern of misconduct: abusive language, lewd WhatsApp messages, threats of academic failure, and forced physical contact. Chats accessed by investigators show the swami luring victims to his room with promises of expense-free foreign trips. Three female faculty and administrators allegedly pressured students to comply, abetting the harassment — an angle under probe.
This isn’t Saraswati’s first brush with controversy. Hailing from Odisha and formerly known as Swami Parthasarathy, he faces prior cases: a 2009 fraud and molestation FIR at Defence Colony and a 2016 harassment complaint at Vasant Kunj. The institute’s basement yielded the suspicious Volvo (plate: 39 UN 1), leading to another FIR on August 25 under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for forgery and cheating.
The Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamsthanam Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri, has swiftly distanced itself, issuing a statement condemning his “illegal and inappropriate” actions and confirming his removal. With the accused evading capture near Agra, police vow a breakthrough soon, emphasising the urgency of installing safeguards in educational spaces.
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