Self-Styled Godman Arrested for Sexually Harassing 17 Women at Delhi Ashram

Chaitanyananda allegedly sent inappropriate text messages to women and forced physical contact.

New Delhi:

The self-proclaimed 'godman' accused of sexually harassing 17 women at a Delhi ashram has been apprehended in Agra. Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, who presented himself as the 'director' of the privately-operated Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management in Delhi's upscale Vasant Kunj neighborhood, faces allegations including abusive language, sending inappropriate text messages to women, and unwanted physical contact.

Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, also known as Partha Sarathy, was captured around 3:30 am at Hotel First in Agra's Taj Ganj after evading authorities for 50 days. He fled on August 4, shortly after the institute received a complaint from Air Force headquarters.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the institute's management received a letter from an alumnus alleging that Chaitanyananda sexually harassed students. The following day, the institute received correspondence from a Group Captain at the Air Force's Directorate of Education. This email detailed complaints from numerous students, accusing the Baba of threatening behavior and sending offensive messages. The Air Force became involved because many students at the institute came from Air Force families.

In this case, 17 women collectively filed complaints at Defence Colony Police Station in early August, accusing the Delhi Baba of harassing post-graduate management diploma students who had scholarships in the economically weaker sections (EWS) category.

The student complainants stated that hostel wardens had introduced them to the Baba. He allegedly summoned students to his room and enticed them with offers of free international travel, as revealed in inappropriate chat messages with the victims.

Delhi Baba had covertly installed cameras in the women's hostel.

After the allegations emerged earlier this week, the ashram administration removed Chaitanyananda from his position. The Delhi ashram unit that the accused headed is affiliated with a prominent South Indian religious institution, the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetha in Sringeri. The religious organization described Chaitanyananda's actions as "inappropriate".

Author Of 28 Books, 143 Research Papers, MBA, PhD

Odisha-born Chaitanyananda has supposedly authored 28 books, including ones with forewords by Apple founder Steve Jobs and appreciation messages from former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.

According to the author profile in one of his books, former US President Barack Obama referenced Chaitanyananda's book, "Transforming Personality," "number of times" during his election campaign, and the book was allegedly a bestseller in European and North American markets in 2007.

Chaitanyananda's profile on academic research platforms claims he holds an MBA and PhD from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. It further asserts that he completed post-doctoral degrees and a DLitt, plus seven honorary DLitt degrees from universities in India and abroad.