Delhi Baba's bail plea: 9 victims examined, phones sent for forensic test, police tell court

A Delhi court, hearing the bail plea of self-styled godman Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati on Monday, was informed by the police that they had examined nine out of the 16 victims in the case.

Chaitanyananda, a former chairman of a management institute in southwest Delhi, is in judicial custody over allegations that he molested several women students.

The investigating officer (IO) told Additional Sessions Judge Deepti Devesh that nine victims had been examined and that the phones of all victims and the accused were sent for forensic examination.

Judge Devesh posted the matter on November 7, directing the prosecution to file its status report.

During the proceedings, the IO said the remaining victims were presently out of station because of the festival holidays in the institution and that they would be back by November 4, following which they would be examined.

The accused had a "monopoly" over the institution and took decisions himself, he said.

On October 13, the court observed that the gravity of the offence increased multifold given the number of victims.

According to the FIR, Chaitanyananda allegedly forced female students to visit his quarters late at night, and sent them inappropriate text messages at odd hours. He allegedly kept track of the students' movements through his phone.

The 62-year-old accused was apprehended from Agra on September 28.