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Chaitanyananda Saraswati, accused of sexually harassing 17 women students in Delhi, evaded police for nearly 40 days by frequently changing hotels and hiding in ashrams.
Self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati (Photo: PTI)
Self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati, who allegedly sexually harassed 17 women students at a private institute in Delhi, returned to India in the second week of August, post the sexual molestation case was registered against him, investigations have revealed.
It was also known that Saraswati changed at least 13 hotels in nearly 40 days, and also took shelter in multiple ashrams with sadhus in Mathura and Vrindavan to evade arrest during his absconding period.
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Upon his return, the godman discovered that an FIR had been registered against him under non-bailable sections. He initially filed an anticipatory bail plea but later withdrew it, choosing instead to abscond.
According to investigators, Chaitanyanand shifted his location several times, staying in at least 13 budget hotels, many lacking CCTV surveillance and strict identification checks.
Though he carried three mobile phones and an iPad, police said he avoided using them for fear of being tracked. Instead, he relied on an aide’s phone to book hotel rooms, deliberately choosing low-profile establishments.
During interrogation, police noted that Chaitanyanand has been attempting to buy time, complaining of breathlessness, and refused to share passwords to his devices.
His phones were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for examination.
The accused had been abroad since July and returned to India on August 6. After the FIR was registered, multiple police teams were formed to nab him, and a Look Out Circular (LOC) has also been issued to prevent him from fleeing the country.
A Delhi Police team traced Saraswati (62) to a hotel in Agra, from where he was arrested at around 3.30 am. He had fled Delhi after the complaint submitted on August 4 alleged that he had sexually harassed the female students, specifically those of the Economic Weaker Sections (EOW) quota.
Investigators said the accused and his associates falsely claimed that they had links to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which enabled him to secure support and cooperation while evading the authorities.
Saraswati has been sent to five days’ police custody for questioning, during which he will likely be made to confront his three female aides in the institute who helped him by threatening the students and asking them to delete lewd messages sent by him.
It is also likely that he will be taken to the institute, a senior police officer told news agency PTI.
Fake visiting cards that showed him as a permanent ambassador associated with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and as a Commission Member and Indian Special Envoy De’ Premiere of the BRICS, were seized from his possession, the officer added.
Investigators further found that the accused possessed two passports obtained through fraudulent means, one under the name Swami Parth Sarathi and the other as Swami Chaitanyanand Saraswati.
ALSO READ | Fake Passports, PMO Links, Forged UN Visiting Cards: Delhi Police Expose Ashram Baba
About the Author
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
September 29, 2025, 12:27 IST
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