Self-styled Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, who sexually harassed female students of a private institute, was arrested by Delhi Police on late Saturday night. He was apprehended from a hotel in Agra. The arrest follows mounting allegations of sexual harassment and financial fraud when he was the chairman of a management institute in Vasant Kunj in Delhi.
The 62-year old Chaitanyananda is accused of molesting female students at the institute, many of whom hail from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Victims reported receiving obscene messages, being summoned to his quarters at odd hours, and facing threats related to academic grades and certification.
Investigators also uncovered a financial trail suggesting embezzlement of ₹122 crore through a fraudulent trust linked to the institute. Authorities have frozen over ₹8 crore across multiple bank accounts and fixed deposits.
After complaints surfaced in August, Chaitanyananda fled to London but returned to India earlier this month. His anticipatory bail plea was rejected. Following his arrest, Delhi’s Patiala House Court remanded him to 5-day police custody for further investigation.
The case has sparked outrage across academic and spiritual communities, with calls for stricter oversight of private educational institutions and religious trusts. The investigation is ongoing.
