Delhi Police issues lookout circular against self-styled ‘godman’ in sexual harassment case

The Delhi Police has issued a lookout circular against self-styled godman Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, the main accused in a harassment case, an official said on Wednesday.

“A lookout circular (LOC) has been issued against him to prevent any attempt to flee the country,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Amit Goel said.

The officer further said that multiple police teams are conducting raids across Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand in connection with the case.

The development comes after several women students of a private management institute accused Saraswati of harassment, alleging that he summoned them to his room and threatened to lower their marks or fail them. Some students have also claimed that he lured them with promises of foreign trips.

According to police, the accused was a sanchalak (management committee member) at Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management in southwest Delhi. This is not the first time he has faced such allegations. Police sources said a case of fraud and molestation was lodged against him at the Defence Colony police station in 2009, while another molestation complaint was filed at the Vasant Kunj police station in 2016.

The accused has so far evaded arrest despite raids and surveillance.