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‘Wrote 28 books, foreword by Steve Jobs’: Chaitanyananda, accused of sexual assaults, claims to have PhD, MBA
A profile of Chaitanyananda claimed that he authored 28 books and 143 research papers and was conferred with seven Honorary D.Litt. from different Universities.
Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati is under the scanner after 17 students of his institute in Delhi's Vasant Kunj accused him of sexual harassment.
Police said that 62-year-old Chaitanyananda, a 'sanchalak' at the Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management, would target students who got admission under the EWS quota and would lure them with foreign trips or threaten to fail them in exams if they refused.
Chaitanyananda was booked after the students filed a complaint in August and a lookout circular has now been issued against him. The police have formed multiple teams to catch him.
Police officials also found a car with a forged diplomatic number plate -- 39 UN 1 -- in the basement of the institute and allegedly used by Chaitanyananda.
Ever since the authorities began probing the matter, new details have emerged regarding Swami Chaitanyananda.
‘Internationally acclaimed writer, wrote 28 books’
Swami Chaitanyananda, also known as Dr Parthasarthy, projects himself as an "internationally acclaimed writer" affiliated to University of Chicago.
A profile of the self-styled Godman mentioned in a book, titled ‘Corporate Governance’ claimed that Chaitanyananda has authored 28 books and 143 research papers, according to an e-book available on the ResearchGate website.
It also mentioned that he holds an MBA and a PhD from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Apart from being the Editor-in-Chief of two "reputed" International Research Journal, he has also earned the Post Doctoral Degree and conferred with seven Honorary D.Litt. from different Universities in India and abroad.
The author profile also mentioned that one of Chaitanyananda's books - Forget Classroom Learning- carries a foreword by Apple Inc. founder Steve Jobs. The profile referred to him as a noted professor, author, orator, educationist, and an exponent of quantum consciousness.
It also claimed that former US President Barack Obama referred to his book "Transforming Personality" several times during his election campaign.
The "noted professor" also claimed to have authority over the Vedanta schools, including the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita.
Chaitanyananda's whereabouts are unclear as of now and the police has said that he was in London when the case was filed against him in August. However, police suspect that his last known locations could be Agra, Uttar Pradesh or Uttarakhand, where he often visits for speeches and to meet other spiritual gurus.
This is not Chaitanyananda's first brush with the law. In 2009, a case of fraud and molestation was lodged against him at Defence Colony police station, police sources told PTI. A separate case of molestation was filed at the Vasant Kunj police station in 2016.
