Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati arrested in Agra for allegedly molesting, threatening female students

Delhi Police apprehended self-styled godman Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, accused of allegedly molesting 17 female students pursuing PGDM courses in a Delhi institute, from Agra on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Police on Friday froze nearly ₹8 crore linked to Saraswati, which was spread across 18 bank accounts and 28 fixed deposits, police official said.

According to investigators, the money belonged to a trust floated by Saraswati, which allegedly received huge donations and contributions.

During the investigation, it was also revealed that Saraswati had allegedly been operating a bank account under two different names by submitting documents with varying particulars at the time of account opening and transfer. Police also said that around ₹50–55 lakh had been withdrawn since the registration of the FIR

Police said the freezing of the accounts is part of the ongoing probe into the financial dealings of the accused, who also allegedly operated multiple bank accounts using different names and particulars to conceal transactions.

How the godman controlled the student in the campus?

The sel-styled godman allegedly controlled the students by taking away their mobile phones and original certificates, leaving them feeling compelled to comply with his dictates, a friend of one of the victims has claimed.

"He marked students first and asked them to deposit their phones so they could 'focus on studies'. The phones would remain in his custody for some time, and in return, he would hand over a new one of his choice. This ensured that communication was under his control and did not reach anyone else," the man, who studied at the same institute, told PTI.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he explained that once a student was admitted, they were required to hand in all original documents and certificates, which were only returned after the course was completed.

"This created a sense of fear, as every student's career was locked there. If anyone dared to resist or complain, they were worried that their certificates might never be returned, ruining their careers," he noted.

On one occassion a student was punished for resisting. "She was made to stand outside for hours until she broke down. Later, when she managed to escape, Baba's guards and driver even searched for her at her relatives' homes and in her hometown. Their behaviour was more like that of a goon than a saint," he alleged.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)