Accused of molesting students, Delhi institute chief on the run, faked car plate

At least 17 women, current and former students of the institute belonging to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), have alleged that Chaitanyananda made unwanted physical contact with them.

Raids are ongoing to arrest the accused, police said. The religious group that runs the institute has issued a statement “severing all ties with him”.

A separate case has also been lodged against Chaitanyananda for allegedly using a Volvo car with a fake blue United Nations number plate. Another nine fake diplomatic number plates were recovered from the institute.

Police suspect Chaitanyananda was using fake UN embassy number plates to assert dominance and influence over people, discouraging them from questioning his illegal activities.

A statement issued by the institute on Wednesday said they were cooperating with the police. It added that on July 19, the institution gave a 300-page complaint to the Delhi Police alleging fraud, forgery and misappropriation of funds by Chaitanyananda, based on which a complaint was registered on July 23.

“The students are now under the protective care and support of (the institute) and all the students are now safe,” it added.

This is not the first such case against Chaitanyananda.

Police sources said that in 2016, an FIR was registered against for molesting a woman from the same institution. “In that case, the accused was bound down, but not arrested, after initial investigation and the case is pending trial,” DCP South West Amit Goel said.

Before the latest allegations of the women were made public, another FIR for alleged embezzlement and misappropriation of funds was lodged against him on July 23, where the complainant was the religious body that runs the institute.

Following the case, Chaitanyananda was removed from his official position at the institution and was made to leave the premises, where he also lived, a police officer said.

According to police sources, the latest case of harassment came to light in August after one of the administrators at the institute approached police. Chaitanyananda was in London at the time, police said.

“On August 4, a complaint was received…against Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati alias Parthasarathy regarding sexual harassment of women students pursuing (higher education courses) under EWS scholarship (at the institute),” DCP Goel said.

Based on the complaint, the police questioned a number of students and found that at least 17 of them had faced sexual misconduct by the accused on a regular basis.

One complainant detailed her ordeal in the FIR: “He started sending me messages saying, ‘Baby, I love you. I adore you, you are looking beautiful today’… complimenting my hair… If I did not respond he would tag the message sent earlier and force me to reply.”

The DCP said statements of 32 women students were recorded, out of which 17 alleged abusive language, obscene WhatsApp/ SMS messages, and unwanted physical contact by the accused. “The victims further alleged that women who were serving as faculty and administrators abetted and pressured them to comply with Chaitanyananda’s demands. The three women staff who were named in the FIR were called and their statements have been recorded,” Goel said.

Another officer said that Chaitanyananda would interact with the victims directly, and some chats appear to have been deleted from the victims’ mobile phones.

The statements of the victims have been recorded before the Patiala House court, police said.

After returning to India from London, Chaitanyananda filed a plea for bail on September 6. He withdrew the plea after the court reprimanded him for mentioning the names of his alleged victims, court documents show.

In its statement, meanwhile, the religious group said, “The public is hereby informed that Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, formerly known as Swami (Dr.) Parthasarathy, has engaged in activities that are illegal, inappropriate, and detrimental to the interests…”

It said it had cut its ties to him, and lodged complaints with relevant authorities regarding illegal acts committed by him.

The statement added that the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has approved the running of the institute in Delhi.

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