Self-styled Sanyasi Chaitanyananda Saraswati (62), accused of sexually harassing 17 women students at a private institute in Delhi, has been arrested after weeks on the run. Investigations revealed that he returned to India in the second week of August, shortly after a sexual molestation case was registered against him.
Police said Saraswati went into hiding upon learning that a non-bailable FIR had been filed against him. He initially sought anticipatory bail but later withdrew his plea and absconded. Over a 40-day period, he allegedly moved between 13 budget hotels—many lacking CCTV surveillance or strict ID verification—and also took shelter in ashrams at Mathura and Vrindavan to evade arrest.
Though he carried three mobile phones and an iPad, Saraswati avoided using them to prevent tracking, instead relying on an aide’s phone to book hotels and coordinate movements. During interrogation, investigators noted that he tried to delay questioning by complaining of breathlessness and refused to share passwords to his devices, which have now been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for analysis.
A Delhi Police team eventually traced him to a hotel in Agra, where he was arrested around 3:30 am. According to officials, Saraswati and his associates falsely claimed links to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to secure protection and cooperation while evading authorities.
The accused has been remanded to five days of police custody for further interrogation. He is likely to be confronted with three female aides from the institute who allegedly threatened students and coerced them into deleting lewd messages he had sent. Police also indicated that he may be taken back to the institute as part of the investigation.
Officers further confirmed the recovery of fake visiting cards projecting him as a permanent ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and as a “Commission Member and Indian Special Envoy De’ Premiere of BRICS.” Investigators also discovered that he held two fraudulently obtained passports, one under the name Swami Parth Sarathi and another as Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati.
A Look Out Circular (LOC) remains active to ensure he does not attempt to flee the country again.
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