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Students alleged that CCTV cameras were placed across the women’s hostel and near bathrooms under the pretext of security and Chaitanyananda maintained remote access to the feeds
A photo of Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati (News18)
Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, the self-styled godman accused of molesting 17 female students at a private institute in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, reportedly asked them about sexual relationships with their boyfriends and if they used condoms.
Multiple women have come forward to share harrowing tales of harassment at the hands of the godman at the Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management where he was a sanchalak (management committee member).
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According to a report by Hindustan Times, the students alleged that CCTV cameras were placed across the women’s hostel and in rooms, including near bathrooms, under the pretext of security and Chaitanyananda maintained remote access to those feeds.
Apart from sending late-night WhatsApp messages to students like “Baby, I love you” and “I adore you”, the self-styled godman reportedly shamed the women in front of their peers. The HT report said while one Haryana student was branded “characterless” for having a boyfriend, another was seen fleeing his office in tears with her clothes torn.
The women also recounted how they were made to stand in a line on Holi and bow to Chaitanyananda after which he applied colour to their cheeks and hair parting before anyone else. One of the more coercive tactics alleged is that all students had to submit their original educational documents to the institute which were not returned to those trying to resist or complain.
The institute’s internal staff allegedly pressured students to delete message threads, draft apology emails, and not raise public complaints.
The students also said Chaitanyananda took students on trips purportedly for religious rituals or “pujas”. During one trip after he acquired a new BMW, students allege that he made inappropriate remarks. In at least one instance, he is said to have recorded a video in his office and sent it back to a student with the comment, “You are looking beautiful.”
Outlook reported that some students said they were forcibly summoned to his quarters late at night. Others allege they were pressured not only by him but also by certain female staff and faculty members to comply with his demands.
Messages on WhatsApp were frequent, with Moneycontrol reporting that a student claimed that when she failed to respond to Chaitanyananda, earlier messages were tagged to force a reply. On another occasion, after she suffered a hairline fracture, he allegedly asked her to send the X-ray to his personal phone after which the messages began. When she tried to resist, she says she was threatened with manipulated attendance and mark deductions.
This is not the first time Chaitanyananda has faced allegations. Earlier molestation complaints were filed in 2009 and 2016. In the current case, after the complaint was filed, he reportedly fled, and authorities have issued a lookout circular. During searches, a red Volvo with a fake “UN” diplomatic plate (39 UN 1) was seized from the institute’s basement, which police say was used by the accused.
Meanwhile, Sringeri’s Sri Sharada Peetham has publicly severed ties with Chaitanyananda, condemning the alleged illegal and inappropriate behaviour.
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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
September 27, 2025, 09:45 IST
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