A sexual harassment scandal has emerged at a South Delhi management institute after multiple complaints were filed against its chairman, Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, also known as Dr Parthasarathy. He has been accused of molesting and harassing students, most of them women enrolled under scholarships for economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
How An Email Exposed The Scandal?
The matter came to light following two separate communications received by the institute in late July—a letter from a former student and an email from a Group Captain in the Indian Air Force. According to the First Information Report (FIR), the former student submitted a complaint dated July 28, received by the administration on July 31, detailing incidents of harassment, as reported by The Hindustan Times.
On August 4, the college administration lodged a formal complaint with the police.
The Case
The FIR, based on a submission by PA Murali, stated that the allegations surfaced during an internal probe into suspected fraud and forgery at the institute.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Amit Goel confirmed that Saraswati has been charged with harassing over 17 students. The complaints accuse him of inappropriate behaviour, including molestation and targeting of students from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category.
The institution in question, Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management in Vasant Kunj, is affiliated with the Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamsthanam Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, which operates across nine states. Saraswati, originally from Odisha, has resided in Delhi for over a decade, overseeing both administrative and academic operations while projecting himself as a spiritual leader.
In response to the allegations, the Sringeri-based Peetham issued a statement distancing itself from him, calling his actions “illegal, inappropriate, and detrimental to the institution’s values.”
Police said further investigation is underway, including examination of financial records and administrative practices at the institute.
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