‘Come to my room’: How self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswasti exploited female students in Delhi ashram

Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswasti finds himself at the centre of a disturbing case. The self-styled godman has been booked for allegedly molesting more than a dozen female students in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj.

The accused, who is the ‘director’ of a privately-run management institute, the Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management, faces complaints from 17 students, ranging from using abusive language, sending of lewd text messages, and forced physical contact.

The women also alleged that they were blackmailed. Police confirmed that the statements of all 17 have been recorded, and said raids are underway to arrest the ‘godman’, who was last spotted in Agra.

So, who really is Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswasti? And what exactly are the allegations against him? Here’s a closer look.

Who is Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswasti? 

Originally from Odisha, Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswasti, formerly known as Swami (Dr) Parthasarathy, had been living in an ashram run by Sri Sringeri Math for the past 12 years, according to NDTV.

Police said the accused also served as a sanchalak (member of the management committee) at the management institute in Vasant Kunj.

But his past is far from clean. Back in 2009, a molestation and fraud complaint was filed against him in Delhi’s Defence Colony, which led to a brief arrest. Seven years later, another molestation case surfaced, this time in Vasant Kunj.

Questions also linger over his finances. While his exact wealth remains unclear, investigators believe he accumulated significant funds over the years. In fact, enough to buy a saffron-coloured Volvo sedan fitted with fake diplomatic number plates.

#WATCH | Delhi | One Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati @ Parth Sarthy, manager of Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management, has been accused of allegedly molesting girl students pursuing PGDM courses under EWS scholarship at the institute. Statements of 32 girl students were… https://t.co/GJxGqadBj0 pic.twitter.com/hJx50GPqao

— ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2025

The car, discovered in the basement of his Vasant Kunj ashram, carried counterfeit United Nations plates marked “39 UN 1.”

Police have now registered cases under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including on charges of misusing a property mark to defraud [Section 345(3)], cheating [Section 318(4)], forgery [Section 336(3)], and creating false documents [Section 340(2)].

The vehicle, along with CCTV footage from the ashram and other digital devices, has been seized for investigation. Authorities are also re-examining the earlier complaints against him.

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What is the molestation case against him?

Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati faces allegations of sexually harassing female students, many of them enrolled in management diploma courses under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) scholarship.

According to police, 17 of the 32 students who gave statements accused him of abusive behaviour, ranging from lewd text messages to physical harassment.

Some of the messages presented as evidence show both manipulation and threats, reports NDTV. In one, he allegedly promised a woman wealth if she obeyed him. In another, he warned a student: “…if you don’t obey me, I will fail you…”

Students further claimed that the ashram wardens introduced them to the accused, while certain women faculty members and administrative staff pressured them to give in to his demands.

Investigators said they have reviewed CCTV footage and raided both the ashram and the godman’s residence, but he is still on the run. NDTV reported that sources last tracked him near Agra.

Police teams have been deployed to find him, but the search has been complicated by his habit of rarely using mobile phones, a detail that makes him difficult to trace.

Also read: How self-styled godman Nithyananda tried to take over Bolivia to establish Hindu nation ‘Kailasa’

Ashram expels Chaitanyananda Saraswati

Following the wave of allegations, the ashram administration moved quickly to strip Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati of his position and expel him. The Delhi unit he once headed is a branch of a well-known ashram in South India.

In a statement, the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetha, Sringeri, which oversees the Delhi facility, said the godman’s conduct had been “illegal, inappropriate, and against the Peetha’s interests.” It added that all ties with him had now been severed.

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), under which the management institute functions, also clarified its role. It confirmed that it had approved the establishment of the Sri Sharadha Institute of Indian Management-Research.

“The Peetham administers the institution through a Governing Council, chaired by Dr Krishna Venkatesh, a respected educationist, along with other distinguished individuals,” the AICTE said.

It added that the Governing Council was “actively taking steps to ensure the welfare of students and to prevent any disruption to the ongoing educational programmes.”

With input from agencies