Baba accused of sexual abuse of own students drove Volvo with fake ‘39 UN 1’ plate to evade scrutiny in Delhi

At Vasant Kunj North police station in southwest Delhi, a self-styled godman, Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, alias Partha Sarathy, faces one FIR for allegedly sexually harassing 17 female students and another for using a car fitted with a forged diplomatic registration.

But what is intriguing is how a self-styled godman accused of preying on his own students managed to drive around Delhi in a Volvo flaunting a fake diplomatic plate "39 UN 1," and also how he has managed to dodge arrest for over a month despite multiple police raids.

These questions now hang over the Baba, director of a Vasant Kunj management institute, who has been booked in two criminal cases and remains absconding.

Sources said teams are keeping a strict vigil at airports to prevent him from fleeing the country, while multiple units have been formed to track him down.

According to police, 17 of the 32 students who recorded their statements alleged that the accused used abusive language, sent lewd text messages, and forced physical contact.

Victims further claimed that women faculty members and administrative staff pressured them to comply with his demands.

Students also told investigators that some wardens at the ashram had introduced them to the accused.   Sharing the details, Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest) Amit Goel said that on August 4, a complaint was received at Vasant Kunj North police station from P.A. Murli, Administrator of Sri Sringeri Math and its properties, against Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati regarding sexual harassment of female students pursuing PGDM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management) courses under EWS scholarship in Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management.

"During the inquiry, statements of 32 female students were recorded, out of which 17 alleged abusive language, obscene WhatsApp/SMS messages, and unwanted physical contact by the accused," said the DCP.

The DCP further said that the victims alleged that the women, who were serving as faculty/administrators, abetted and pressured them to comply with the accused’s demands.   "Accordingly, a case under sections 75(2) (sexual harassment), 79 (insulting women's modesty), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the BNS was registered, and an investigation was taken up," said the DCP.

Another official privy to the probe said that after the registration of the case, the CCTV footage was analyzed, and several raids were conducted at the place of incident as well as at the addresses of the alleged person.

"However, the accused is evading. The NVRs/hard disks collected from SRISIIM Institute have been sent to FSL, and statements under section 183 BNSS of 16 victims have been recorded before Patiala House Courts," the official said.

The DCP also said that during the probe, a Volvo car was found parked in the basement of the institute and, on verification, it was found that the car with the forged diplomatic number plate 39 UN 1 was used by the alleged Swami Chaitanyanand Saraswati.

"Accordingly, another case under sections 345(3) (false property mark), 318(4) (cheating and dishonestly inducing the delivery of property), 336(3) (forging a document or electronic record with the intent to commit cheating), and 340(2) of the BNS was registered at Vasant Kunj North police station, and the car was seized," the DCP added.

Meanwhile, the Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamsthanam Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri, with which Saraswati was previously associated, has publicly cut ties with him.

"The public is hereby informed that Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, formerly known as Swami (Dr.) Parthasarathy, has engaged in activities that are illegal, inappropriate, and detrimental to the interests of the Peetham. As a result, the Peetham has severed all ties with him," the statement read.

The Peetham also clarified that it has informed relevant authorities of his alleged illegal acts and stressed that the AICTE-approved institute in Vasant Kunj is run under its Governing Council, chaired by educationist Dr Krishna Venkatesh. The council, it said, is taking steps to safeguard the interests of students and ensure continuity of academic programmes.