‘Godman’ who molested 17 women stayed in 13 hotels in 2 months, faked UN posts for favours — arrested in Agra

The arrest followed allegations levelled by at least 17 current and former students of the institute, most of them from the Economically Weaker Section, that Chaitanyananda made unwanted physical contact with them. The accused was brought to Delhi and produced in a local court, which remanded him in police custody for five days.

According to officers, Chaitanyananda allegedly changed locations over the past two months, moving through Mathura, Agra and Vrindavan, and stayed in 13 hotels. He would allegedly make his staffers call officials and demand favours such as pilot and escort cars, and accommodation, by falsely claiming that he was a part of the PMO, an officer said.

“He had given them threats. (CCTV) cameras were installed to monitor their movements… some were installed in bathrooms. Around 16 girls have complained. Several other allegations need to be verified,” the prosecution claimed before the Duty Magistrate Ravi at Patiala House Court, where the accused was produced Sunday afternoon.

According to the FIR, Chaitanyananda Saraswati allegedly forced female students to visit his quarter late at night, and sent them inappropriate text messages at odd hours. (Express photo)

Before these allegations were made public, another FIR for alleged embezzlement and misappropriation of funds totalling Rs 20 crore was lodged against Chaitanyananda on July 25 on a complaint from the religious body that runs the private institute where he was chancellor.

Over 18 accounts and 28 fixed deposits in the name of a trust set up by Chaitanyananda, which had around Rs 8 crore in them, were subsequently frozen by the police. On Friday, Chaitanyananda was denied bail in the case of fraud and misappropriation of funds.

The religious body, meanwhile, said in a statement that it has severed ties with Chaitanyananda and that he was removed from all official positions. According to police sources, the case of alleged 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 (South West) Amit Goel said. The statements of the victims have been recorded before the Patiala House court, police said.

After returning to India, court documents show, Chaitanyananda filed a plea for bail but withdrew it after the court reprimanded him for mentioning the names of his alleged victims.

On Sunday, following the arrest over complaints of sexual harassment, the counsel for the accused countered the prosecution’s plea for police custody, saying all the women had already recorded their statements. “You have already taken my phones, one iPad and my luggage. I am diabetic, having anxiety issues…you want police custody only to harass me. In case you feel there is any threat (to the women), that can be countered by taking me in judicial custody,” the counsel argued.

On the other hand, the counsel of the complainant contended: “One witness has categorically stated that she would be picked up if she dared to complain. Investigation, which is at a nascent stage, runs the risk of being tampered with… This is the first time he had joined the investigation in two months. Accused is not cooperating with the investigation. He has not given the passwords of his i-pad…mere seizure won’t be enough in this case.”

There are two other cases of alleged molestation against Chaitanyananda. Police sources said that in 2016, an FIR was registered against for allegedly molesting a woman from the same institution. A similar case was registered in 2009. The 2016 case is “pending trial”, DCP Goel had earlier said.