Delhi cops nab ‘fraud’ Chaitanyananda Saraswati after 2-month, 5-state chase

The accused, Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, had been evading police since August 5, when an FIR of mass molestation was lodged at Vasant Kunj police station

New Delhi: In the past two months, over five police teams have been conducting raids across five states looking for the 62-year-old former chairman of Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management-Research, who has been accused of molesting over 17 students, besides fraud and forgery.

The accused in police custody. (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

The accused, Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, had been evading police since August 5, when an FIR of mass molestation was lodged at Vasant Kunj police station, officers aware of the investigation said, adding that the police operation finally culminated after they received a tip that a person looking like the “Baba” in saffron attire was staying at a hotel in Agra.

A senior police officer, not wishing to be named, said, “When the case was lodged, Saraswati was in London. After his return, he filed a plea for bail on September 6 but he later withdrew it as the court reprimanded him for mentioning names of the victims”.

Deputy commissioner of police (southwest) Amit Goel said that for the past two months, police teams were continuously conducting raids at hotels, ashrams and guest houses across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.

Teams were also sent to Odisha and Siliguri in West Bengal, where Sarswati has spent his childhood, but could not be traced. Despite five police teams being on his trail, Saraswati managed to evade them as he was continuously changing hideouts and appearance.

“It was also found that he’s not actively using electronic devices, making it tougher to catch him,” a second police officer said.

DCP Goel said that on Sunday, around 2-3am, they found he was staying at a hotel and conducted a raid. He was arrested from the hotel.

“We held him with three mobile phone and an iPad. To catch him and reacting to the fraud allegations, we had already frozen more than 18 bank accounts and 28 fixed deposits belonging to him. These had funds to the tune of ₹8 crore in them...” the DCP said.

In the past two months, police said he was found to have been staying at more than 13 hotels. Police said he was changing hotels every week or so. “Along with the devices, we also found two visiting cards (of UN and BRICS). We also found that he used to pose as a staff member of the Prime Minister’s Office to gain access to different places and be treated as a dignitary,” DCP Goel said.

Saraswati has been named an accused in five cases, including molestation and fraud, since 2009. Police said that this year alone, his former organisation has filed two cases against him.

Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamthanam Dakshinamnya Sri Sharada Peetham (also called Peetham), after an internal probe in July, released a statement saying they found Saraswati had defrauded the organisation by creating a ₹122-crore trust, diverting funds from it, faking lease deeds, and trying to change the name of the college, among other charges.

In August, they responded to a complaint from an Indian Air Force officer, who was approached by the students alleging instances of repeated sexual harassment at the campus. The Peetham administrator then lodged a police complaint on August 5.

Police said during the probe, they recovered two cars, a Volvo and a BMW, besides nine forged car number plates.

A third senior police officer said, “As of now, we have interrogated his driver, who also confirmed that the accused would pose as a UN dignitary or PMO staffer to gain access to events. We have also asked the three women staffers to join probe. The women have been accused of aiding the accused.”

Students, present and former, have alleged that Saraswati would send inappropriate texts to female students at odd hours, harass them and threaten to fail them or deduct their marks if they refused to comply with his demands.

Police said Saraswati was previously known as Dr Parthasarthy, but changed his name in the past few years. Police said they will also question the former chairman over the name change and the visiting cards.