Police quiz 3 former staffers tied to serial molester monk

Three former female staff members of a management institute in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj were summoned by Delhi Police on Tuesday for links with the 62-year-old former chairman, identified as Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, who is accused of molesting over 17 female students

Three former female staff members of a management institute in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj were summoned by Delhi Police on Tuesday for links with the 62-year-old former chairman, identified as Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, who is accused of molesting over 17 female students.

Saraswati, a self proclaimed monk, was arrested early on Sunday from Agra. (HT Photo)

Police said the staff members — a former associate dean and two former wardens — are accused of aiding Saraswati and harassing college students. The three are also sisters. They were interrogated jointly with Saraswati.

Saraswati, a self proclaimed monk, was arrested early on Sunday from Agra and sent to a five-day police custody. He is accused in three cases this year, which include mass molestation case, cheating and forgery.

According to the FIR in the molestation case, lodged on the complaint of Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamthanam Dakshinamnya Sri Sharada Peetham on August 5, complainants had named the female staffers for “pressuring” them and giving into the demands of the accused. It further said that Saraswati allegedly sent lewd and objectionable messages to students at odd hours and that three staff members would delete the chats on the students’ phones.

DCP (southwest) Amit Goel said, “On Tuesday, we summoned these three women for questioning. All three sisters are not currently working with the college. While one of them was associate dean, the remaining two were working as wardens. We also took them and jointly interrogated them with Saraswati to establish facts, verify allegations and sequence of events.”

DCP further added that on examination of Saraswati’s phone and iPad, police found several photos of female students that had been taken secretly. Three phones and other devices are being scanned for further evidence. Earlier, police said, many of the victims had shared their WhatsApp chats as well as screenshots of other conversations with Saraswati. He allegedly lured them with the promise of foreign trips and other gifts before demanding sexual favours.

An officer, on condition of anonymity, said that Saraswati also cheated women by telling them that he would get them a job as an air hostess

“We checked his phone and found that he had made his office like a hotel suite. He would give gifts, phones, laptops, jewellery and would take students for foreign trips. He also asked female students to send their photos while doing Yoga,” said the officer

Another investigator, who asked not to be named, said, “He was still chatting with girls while he was on the run and knew he was being chased by the police. He would also talk to women and lure them with a promise of jobs. He was using a London-based mobile number for his WhatsApp and other apps to communicate with girls. We have found multiple chats where he is asking women to ‘seduce’ him and is sending them inappropriate emojis. He also has photos of air hostesses and screenshots of students’ display pictures saved.”

Police had earlier said the accused would surveil students through multiple CCTVs placed around the ladies hostel, even outside the bathroom.

The DCP said that so far Saraswati had not told them anything, and was denying the allegations.