Delhi ‘godman’ booked for sexually harassing 17 students, lookout circular issued

A self-styled godman and 'chairman' of a private management institute in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj has been booked for allegedly sexually harassing 17 students of the Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management, run under the Sri Sharada Peetham in Karnataka’s Sringeri.

Police identified the accused as 62-year-old Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, also known as Swami Parthasarathy, who served as a ‘sanchalak’ at the institute. Investigators said he targeted students admitted under the EWS quota, allegedly threatening to fail them in exams and luring them with promises of foreign trips.

Multiple police teams have been formed to trace him, and a lookout circular has been issued to prevent his escape abroad. The National Commission for Women has also taken suo motu cognisance of the case.

A senior officer said the accused projected himself as the chairman of the institute, and that all victims have given statements before a magistrate.

Meanwhile, the Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamsthanam Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham in Sringeri issued a statement distancing itself from Saraswati.

During a search of the institute premises, police recovered a Volvo car fitted with a forged diplomatic number plate — 39 UN 1 — allegedly used by Saraswati.

“We have registered two different cases on 25 August — one for sexual harassment and another for the forged number plate. Our teams are searching for him and we are connecting all the important leads,” the officer said.

The case has been filed under sections 75(2) (sexual harassment), 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Vasant Kunj North police station.

Three women wardens have also been named as co-accused in the FIR, with police alleging they pressured students into giving in to Saraswati’s demands and deleting incriminating messages.

The accused, author of 28 books carrying forewords and reviews by well-known figures, has long cultivated an image as an “eminent professor, noted author, orator, educationist, spiritual philosopher and philanthropist, and an eminent personality of management academia in India and abroad”, according to online listings.

This is not the first time he has faced allegations. Police records show a fraud and molestation case against him in 2009 at Defence Colony police station, followed by another molestation complaint in 2016 at Vasant Kunj.

As part of the current inquiry, police recorded statements from 32 female PGDM students on EWS scholarships. Of these, 17 alleged that Saraswati used abusive language, sent obscene messages, and made unwanted advances. Their statements were given before a magistrate.

Police have also seized the Volvo with the diplomatic plate and lodged a second FIR. The accused has been evading arrest since 25 August.

The Sringeri Peetham reiterated in its statement: “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 of Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamsthanam Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri (Peetham). As a result, the Peetham has severed all ties with him.”

It further said that complaints have been filed with relevant authorities regarding Saraswati’s “illegal acts,” and clarified that the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) had approved the institute’s functioning in the Peetham’s name.

“The Peetham administers the institution through a Governing Council, chaired by Dr Krishna Venkatesh, a respected educationist, along with other distinguished individuals. The Governing Council is actively taking steps to ensure the welfare of students and to prevent any disruption to the ongoing educational programmes,” it added.

Police sources said his last known location was Agra, where raids were carried out. “Teams have been conducting raids at his known hideouts in Delhi and neighbouring states, including Agra, where his last location was found,” a source confirmed.

Investigators also found evidence of CCTV tampering. DVRs and other devices have been sent for forensic analysis, while digital evidence including chats and call records has been collected. “The allegations are serious, involving multiple victims, and we are pursuing the case with priority,” the senior officer said.

Sources said Saraswati, originally from Odisha, had been residing at the Delhi institute for the past 12 years. They added that his frequent change of location and avoidance of mobile phones has complicated efforts to arrest him.

Police believe his interstate connections may be helping him evade capture, even as raids continue across Delhi and neighbouring states.

With PTI inputs