Police have arrested Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, a self-proclaimed godman accused of sexually exploiting female students at a private institute in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj. The arrest came in the early hours of Sunday after he was tracked down in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, following nearly two months on the run.
Chaitanyananda, also known as Swami Parthasarathy, had allegedly been sending obscene messages to young women and evading authorities since a complaint surfaced. His anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a Delhi court earlier this week, paving the way for his arrest.
Investigators revealed that the accused faces serious charges of sexual assault and large-scale financial fraud. Soon after fleeing, he reportedly withdrew about ₹60 lakh, and officials believe he misappropriated over ₹30 crore in total.
As director of the Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management in southwest Delhi, Chaitanyananda allegedly exploited his influential position to prey on women. Police said he targeted students and women from financially weaker backgrounds, attempting to coerce them into sexual relationships.
Complaints Sparked Action
The first alerts about his misconduct surfaced in late July and early August through letters—one from a student and another from an Air Force officer—sent to the Peetham. Many of the institute’s students are children of Air Force personnel, prompting the headquarters to raise formal complaints.
Following these revelations, the Governing Council of the Peetham organized a virtual meeting with over 30 female students on August 3 to address the allegations and assess the situation.
This case has drawn widespread attention, highlighting concerns about the abuse of power in private educational institutions and raising urgent questions about the protection of vulnerable students.