Self-styled godman Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati booked for sexually harassing students; LOC issued

Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, a self-styled spiritual guru and the director of a private institution in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, has been booked for allegedly sexually harassing his female students. A Look-Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him, police said on Wednesday.

The accused allegedly targeted the ones pursuing management diploma courses under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) scholarship, police added.

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“A lookout circular has been issued against him to prevent any attempt to flee the country,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West) Amit Goel said.

The investigators said that over 32 students of the institution were questioned, and while probing, 17 girls came forward with the allegation.

The complaints included accusations such as obscene WhatsApp and SMS messages allegedly sent by the accused, and also inappropriate physical touch, as reported by the students.

Victims said there was pressure from faculty and administrative staff to comply with the accused’s demands, and the staff members either ignored their complaints or asked them to remain quiet.

During the investigation, it also emerged that several criminal cases have previously been registered against Swami Chaitanyanand Saraswati, alias Parth Sarathi.

“In 2009, a case of fraud and molestation was registered in Delhi’s Defence Colony,” a police source said.

“In 2016, a woman filed a molestation case in Vasant Kunj, and an FIR was registered at Vasant Kunj North police station,” the source said, adding that officials have recorded the statements of the victims in the Chaitanyanand case.

So far, the police have recorded statements of three wardens, who were accused of deleting messages sent by Chaitanyanand. “There are also allegations that some CCTV footage was deleted, after which the DVR was sent for FLS examination,” a police official mentioned.

Chaitanyanand had also filed an anticipatory bail petition in the Delhi High Court, which he later withdrew. As part of the investigation, the officers are conducting raids in several states, including Delhi, Haryana, UP, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand, to arrest the accused.

Five FIRs have been lodged against Chaitanyanand, two dating back to 2009 and 2016, and three recent ones linked to fraud at the monastery, molestation of students, and the use of fake diplomatic number plates. Police have also examined the mobile phones of over 50 students as part of the probe.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest) Aishwarya Singh said, “Officers are putting in effort to nab Chaitanyananda, who is absconding after cases were filed against him.”

The DCP said that the investigation in the case is ongoing and statements from the alleged victims were still being recorded.