‘I ran from class in terror’: Ex-student recounts years of harassment by self-styled monk

The complainant in the 2016 case alleged that she and her classmates had repeatedly raised concerns about Saraswati’s behaviour but he was not arrested

The Delhi Police has now launched a nationwide hunt for a self-styled monk in a mass sexual harassment case, but a former student of the management college he headed till recently says she has been awaiting justice for more than nine years in her sexual harassment complaint.

Saraswati’s alleged misconduct dates back to a 2009 forgery and molestation case in Defence Colony, followed by another molestation and fraud case lodged at Vasant Kunj police station in 2016, police said.

The accused, Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, in his 60s, was the chairman of Shri Sharada Institute of Indian Management (ShriSIIM), Vasant Kunj. He was booked on molestation charges after more than 17 students filed complaints this August. The students initially approached an Indian Air Force officer posted at the Directorate of Education, Air HQ, who then brought the matter to the attention of the college’s overseeing religious organisation, the Peetham.

Amit Goel, DCP (southwest), said Saraswati’s alleged misconduct dates back to a 2009 forgery and molestation case in Defence Colony, followed by another molestation and fraud case lodged at Vasant Kunj police station in 2016.

She said she was 20-21 years old when she joined ShriSIIM. “I only stayed for eight months and eventually dropped out. It was the worst time of my life. In the first few months, he began sending lewd messages, calling me ‘baby’ and ‘sweet girl’. Our classes ended around 6.30pm, after which he would summon me to his office and harass me. He said I was talented, that he would take me to Dubai and pay all my expenses. I did not want any of this, but he and his staff continued to pressure me. He would tell me he loved me and would take care of me. I was put in a room with a roommate who snitched that I had a boyfriend…”

The FIR states that Saraswati confiscated her phone and forced her to live alone in the hostel after that. “I was not allowed to talk to anyone. There was a telephone in my room on which he used to call at night. He would scold me if I spoke to anyone. He watched me like a hawk. He promised fancy dinners and stays at nearby hotels. I was scared for my life,” the complaint reads.

The woman alleged the harassment escalated when Saraswati tried to touch her inappropriately. “There were cameras everywhere. He then called me for a two-day trip to Mathura, and his associates pressured me to go. I could not ask for help. Before he could take me anywhere, I decided to flee. I could not even take my bag or documents. I ran away after classes before anyone saw me.”

Her ordeal, she said, continued even after escaping. “His associates and students came to my house to force me to return. How did he get my guardian’s and village address? My father literally had to throw everyone out. We filed an FIR, and I was taken for a medical examination and to Patiala house courts. I told them everything, but the police never acted. I still do not have my documents. Now, he has preyed on dozens of women and is still on the run,” she added.