Self-styled godman produced in Delhi court, police seek 5-day custody; order likely by 5 pm

He was produced later produced before a Delhi court on Sunday, with police seeking 5-day custody of the self-styled godman accused of sexually harassing 17 women students at a private institute here, officials said. The court has reserved its order and is likely to pass it by 5 pm on Sunday.

At least 17 women, current and former students of the institute, most of them from the Economically Weaker Section, have alleged that Chaitanyananda made unwanted physical contact with them.

On Friday, Chaitanyananda was denied bail in a case of fraud and misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 20 crore.

Over 18 accounts and 28 fixed deposists in the name of a trust set up by Chaitanyananda – which had around Rs 8 crore in them — were also frozen by the police.
Apart from the present case, there are two other cases of molestation against Chaitanyananda.

Police sources said that in 2016, an FIR was registered against for molesting a woman from the same institution. A similar case was registered in 2009. In the 2016 case, the accused was bound down, but not arrested, after initial investigation and the case is pending trial,” DCP South West Amit Goel had earlier said.

Before the allegations of the women were made public, another FIR for alleged embezzlement and misappropriation of funds was lodged against him on July 25, where the complainant was the religious body that runs the institute.

The religious body said in a statement that it has severed ties with Chaitanyananda and he was removed from his official positions.

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 had said.

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.