“The ‘Godman’, the Molestation & the Fake UN Plate”

An alleged incident of sexual harassment at a private institute in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj has led to the booking and subsequent search for the institute’s director, Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, also known as Parthasarthy. The case came to light after a complaint was lodged by an administrator of the Sri Sringeri Math, which is associated with the Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management, where the alleged incidents took place.

Allegations and Investigation

The formal complaint was filed in August 2025, detailing allegations of sexual harassment against Saraswati by female students pursuing a Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) scholarship scheme. During the investigation, police recorded statements from 32 students. Of these, 17 students reported facing abusive language, obscene messages on WhatsApp and SMS, and unwanted physical contact. Some victims also claimed that certain female faculty and administrative staff members pressured them to comply with Saraswati’s demands.

Based on these statements, a case was registered at the Vasant Kunj North Police Station. Investigators have since reviewed CCTV footage from the institute, conducted raids at various locations linked to the accused, and sent hard disks and Network Video Recorders (NVRs) from the institute to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for analysis. The statements of 16 victims have also been formally recorded before a judicial magistrate.

Luxury Car and Fake UN PlatesDuring their investigation, authorities discovered a high-end Volvo car belonging to Saraswati parked in the institute’s basement. The car was found to have a forged diplomatic number plate, specifically “39 UN 1,” which is a fraudulent representation of a United Nations vehicle plate. A separate FIR was registered against Saraswati for the use of this fake number plate, and the car has been seized.

Past Allegations and Current Status

This is not the first time Saraswati has faced criminal allegations. Prior to this case, he was reportedly accused of fraud and molestation in a 2009 case in Defence Colony, as well as in a separate molestation complaint filed in Vasant Kunj in 2016. Authorities are now reviewing these past cases as part of the current investigation.

The Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri, has officially severed all ties with Chaitanyananda Saraswati, stating that his actions were “illegal, inappropriate and detrimental” to their interests. The institute is now being managed by a Governing Council to ensure the welfare of the students and the continuity of academic programs. Despite intensive search efforts, including reviewing over 200 CCTV cameras and tracking his last known location near Agra, the accused remains absconding, and police are continuing their search.