Sexual Harassment Case: Delhi Police Add Witness Threat Charge Against ‘Godman’ Chaitanyananda
Delhi Court extended custody after Delhi Police invoke new charge for witness intimidation; accused sought permission to wear monk robes
Self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati sent to 14-day judicial custody; Delhi Police add new charge for threatening witnesses in molestation case
A Delhi court on Friday remanded self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati, accused of sexually harassing 17 women students, to 14 days’ judicial custody, after the police informed that they had added a fresh charge of threatening witnesses to give false evidence under Section 232 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Saraswati, 62, was produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Animesh Kumar of Patiala House Court upon completion of his five-day police custody. The Delhi Police told the court that the new provision was invoked after one of the women complainants reported being threatened following the registration of the case.
The accused’s counsel opposed the move for judicial custody and sought the supply of the seizure memo and case diaries, which the court allowed.
The defence also moved applications seeking permission for Saraswati to wear his monk robes, receive prescribed medicines, and be provided “sanyasi food.” The Court has sought the police’s response on these requests.
On September 28, the order was passed by Duty Magistrate Ravi after the Delhi Police Crime Branch produced the accused following his arrest from Agra on Saturday, i.e. September 27, night.
Chaitanyananda, who was arrested from a hotel after evading police for days, underwent a medical examination at Safdarjung Hospital before being brought to court. According to DCP (South-West) Amit Goel, a special team had been tracking him across Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal before finally nabbing him in Agra.
Days before his arrest, a former student who first lodged an FIR against him in 2016 came forward with new disclosures. According to media reports, she alleged that her original complaint of molestation and harassment was ignored. She said that had authorities acted on her case nine years ago, many other women might not have suffered.
The complainant described systematic exploitation by Chaitanyananda, alleging that students’ laptops, phones, and educational documents were confiscated and withheld to exert control. She further accused him of manipulating students with false promises of foreign placements while subjecting them to unwanted advances.
According to reports, Police told the Court that they recovered three mobile phones, an iPad, and fake visiting cards from the accused. The seized cards falsely identified him as a Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations, a BRICS Joint Commission member, and a Special Envoy of India. Officials said the devices and forged documents will be examined as part of the ongoing probe.
The case against Chaitanyananda stems from an FIR lodged on September 23 at Vasant Kunj North Police Station, where multiple women students of the PGDM programme under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) scholarship accused him of sexual harassment and misconduct. The allegations led the Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri to revoke the Power of Attorney earlier granted to him in 2008.
Appearing for the accused, Advocate Manish Gandhi argued that the case was part of a “larger conspiracy” involving “very prominent individuals,” and assured that their names would soon be disclosed. The Court, while granting police custody, also allowed applications by the defence for daily access during interrogation.
The police are investigating charges of sexual harassment, molestation, forgery, and impersonation as a government functionary.
Chaitanyananda is accused of the following:
-Sexual harassment: sending obscene messages, making unwanted physical contact, and using abusive language against students, many admitted under the EWS quota.
-Financial fraud: siphoning funds from the Sringeri Math, allegedly diverting ₹20 crore through a parallel trust and misappropriating around ₹55 lakh.
-Forgery: obtaining a forged passport and falsifying documents to consolidate control over the institute.
In a related news, on September 26, a Delhi Court had dismissed the anticipatory bail application filed by Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati in connection with a criminal case involving allegations of fraud, forgery, criminal breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds belonging to the Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamsthanam Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri. Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Hardeep Kaur at Patiala House Court observed that the offences were serious in nature and required custodial interrogation to establish the full chain of alleged criminal acts.
The bail application, filed under Section 482 BNSS (earlier Section 438 Cr.P.C.), was vigorously opposed by the investigating officer and the complainant.