In 50 days on the run, Delhi ‘godman’ Saraswati shifted 15 hotels, dodged surveillance: Report
Saraswati stayed in low-cost, CCTV-free hotels to evade capture and was finally arrested early Sunday at an Agra hotel; he is now in police custody.
Self-styled ‘godman’ Chaitanyananda Saraswati, former chairman of Delhi’s Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management, accused of sexually harassing at least 17 women at the college, stayed in nearly 50 hotels during his time on the run to evade arrest.
Saraswati, 62, deliberately opted for low-cost lodgings without CCTV cameras to avoid detection, according to an NDTV report citing police sources. He was eventually apprehended in the early hours of Sunday at a hotel in Agra and is now in police custody.
His aides, who helped select the hotels, are also being traced.
'Not cooperating in probe, citing anxiety'
Police sources said Saraswati is not cooperating with investigators, often claiming he feels anxious and insisting that all allegations against him are baseless.
He further told officers he had forgotten the passwords to his phones and devices. Three of his phones and an iPad have been sent to a forensic laboratory for examination.
Also known as Partha Sarathy, Saraswati is accused of harassing female students at the institute, which is affiliated with Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri. On September 23, Delhi Police registered an FIR at Vasant Kunj North Police Station following a complaint of sexual harassment and misconduct.
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Saraswati is currently facing at least five criminal cases in Delhi, including molestation, cheating, forgery and fraud. Investigators are also probing his network of assets and financial dealings linked to a ₹122-crore trust.
Students were compelled to accompany him on foreign trips
Police said several students were forced to accompany Chaitanyananda Saraswati on domestic and international trips and visit his personal room at odd hours. Statements of 32 victims have been recorded, with 16 corroborating allegations of sexual exploitation and harassment, according to a previous report by Hindustan Times.
He was produced before the Patiala House Court hours after his arrest on Sunday, and the court sent him to five days’ police custody, calling his interrogation “pivotal” for the progress of the investigation.
In a four-page order released Monday, judicial magistrate first class Ravi noted that witness statements, the gravity of the offences, and the investigating officer’s submissions made the accused’s presence in custody essential for gathering evidence.
The Investigation Officer (IO) told the court that police custody was necessary to confront Chaitanyananda with victim testimonies and electronic evidence, recover incriminating digital material and WhatsApp data, and identify other associates allegedly linked to the case.
Police, while seeking custody, said the charges against him include sexual harassment, intimidation and exploitation of female students enrolled in a management programme under the Sri Sringeri Math Trust.
