Sexual assault case: Delhi court sends self-styled ‘godman’ Chaitanyananda Saraswati to 5-day police custody

A Delhi court on September 28, Sunday, sent Chaitanyananda Saraswati, 62, a self-styled ‘godman’, to 5-day police custody in sexual assault case, PTI reported.

He allegedly sexually harassed 17 women students at a private institute in Delhi.

A Delhi Police team located Saraswati in Agra, where he was staying at a hotel and arrested him around 3:30 am today. In an effort to evade arrest, the accused is said to have frequently changed locations and hotels across Vrindavan, Mathura, and Agra in Uttar Pradesh, using taxis for travel. A police official noted that he stayed in low-cost hotels to avoid attracting attention.

A senior police officer mentioned, “Multiple teams were formed to nab Saraswati. Based on inputs, we tracked him to a hotel in Agra's Taj Ganj area and caught him from there around 3.30 am on Sunday.” The officer added that he fled Delhi on August 4 when a First Information Report (FIR) was filed.

Recoveries during Chaitanyananda Saraswati's arrest

During the arrest, police recovered an iPad and three mobile phones from him. One of the phones had access to CCTV footage of the campus and hostel, which he used to monitor the student’s movements. Additionally, police recovered fake visiting cards from his possession, which falsely identified him as a Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), a Commission Member of BRICS, and the Indian Special Envoy De’ Premiere.

According to investigators, Chaitanyanand and his associates falsely claimed to have close ties with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). According to a senior police officer, his aides allegedly contacted various individuals, asserting his connection to the PMO, which helped him gain support and cooperation while avoiding authorities.

Chaitanyanand checked into the hotel around 4 pm on September 27, using the alias ‘Partha Sarathi’ and was given Room 101. He reportedly stayed inside the room throughout the night.

Previously, police had frozen assets worth ₹8 crore connected to Saraswati, which were spread across several bank accounts and fixed deposits.

As detailed in the FIR, Saraswati, a former chairman of a management institute in southwest Delhi, is accused of coercing female students to visit his residence late at night and sending them inappropriate messages at odd hours. He also allegedly tracked the students' activities through his mobile phone.

During the investigation, it emerged that the accused had used false identities and information to open numerous bank accounts. He reportedly withdrew over ₹50 lakh after the FIR was filed. Investigators stated that he had submitted documents with inconsistent details during the account opening process.

(With inputs from PTI)