Swami Chaitanyanand Saraswati, accused of sexually harassing female students at a private management institute in Delhi, has been arrested. His arrest was made in Agra after police had been searching for him following accusations from the students. His last known location was Agra, prompting the police to conduct a search operation in Agra and nearby areas.
According to the police, Swami Chaitanyanand Saraswati, accused of sexually harassing students, was arrested at around 3:30 AM from a hotel. He had been hiding in Agra for several days. Currently, he is being interrogated about the case and undergoing medical examination.
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Complaint Against Chaitanyanand Filed in March
A student from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota filed a complaint in March 2025, alleging that an additional amount was demanded from her despite a donation of 60,000 rupees.
Chaitanyanand, the former president of the management institute in southwest Delhi, had built a network of loyalists within the institute and appointed them to positions they were not qualified for.
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Chaitanyanand told her that either she must pay an additional 60,000 rupees, work at the institute unpaid for a year, or leave the college. The private management institute's administration revealed that in a virtual meeting with more than 30 students, many recounted instances of sexual harassment, molestation, and threats by Chaitanyanand. An FIR was subsequently registered against him on August 4.
Chaitanyanand reportedly coerced students to visit his quarters late at night, threatening them with failing grades if they didn't comply. He also included several women in his team who were tasked with deleting the students' chats. The police have obtained evidence related to the deletions. Chaitanyanand also lured students with promises of trips to London, assuring them that they wouldn't have to spend any money.
Chaitanyanand Filed for Bail in Court
Chaitanyanand filed a bail petition in a Delhi court regarding the charges against him. However, on Friday, the court rejected his anticipatory bail application. Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur emphasized that the investigation is at an initial stage, and police custody interrogation is necessary to uncover the "fraud, conspiracy, and misuse of funds scheme."
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The court noted the investigating officer's statement that the accused was not present at the provided address, and his mobile phone was turned off. The order considered the "seriousness of the allegations" and the "gravity" of the offense. The court pointed out that the investigation so far reveals Chaitanyanand created a fraudulent trust named 'Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management Research Foundation Trust' to "distribute" the assets of 'Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management Research' into a "fraudulent trust" he established.
The court explained that the accused fraudulently transformed a specific piece of land into a trust and subleased it without approval or notification to the concerned authority. The order stated that the revenue and funds from plot number 7 were intended for the benefit of Sri Sharda Indian Management Research Institute and Peetham (Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasanthanam Dakshinamaya Sri Sharda Peetham, Sringeri), but the accused used these revenues and funds for personal gain, criminally misusing Peetham's assets and finances.
