Delhi 'Baba' Accused Swami Chaitanyananda of Molesting 17 Women Arrested After 50 Days on the Run

New Delhi: A self-proclaimed spiritual leader, Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, accused of molesting 17 women students at a private management institute in Delhi, was arrested early Sunday morning in Agra after nearly two months of evading arrest.

The 62-year-old, also known by his real name Partha Sarathy, was taken into custody from Hotel First in Agra’s Taj Ganj area at around 3:30 am by a special Delhi Police team. He had been absconding since August 4, the day after the institute he headed received an official complaint from the Indian Air Force.

Complaints From 17 Women Spark Investigation

Chaitanyananda, who served as the director of Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management in Delhi’s upscale Vasant Kunj area, is facing serious charges of sexual harassment. Seventeen female students many of them scholarship recipients from economically weaker sections filed complaints against him at Defence Colony Police Station in early August.

According to the police, the accused lured the students with false promises of foreign trips and career support. He reportedly sent inappropriate messages, called student

The Delhi Police also received an email complaint from a Group Captain in the Air Force Directorate of Education, after multiple students from Air Force families came forward with similar allegats to his room, and engaged in unwanted physical contact. Some students revealed that he had installed hidden cameras in the women’s hostel.ions.

Fake Diplomatic IDs and Suspicious Finances

During the investigation, police recovered two fake identity cards from Chaitanyananda. One claimed he was a “Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations,” and the other presented him as a “Special Envoy of India” and a BRICS Joint Commission member. Authorities have confirmed both were forged, used to falsely present himself as a person of international influence.

The police also found that Chaitanyananda operated several bank accounts under different names. He allegedly withdrew over Rs 50 lakh after the FIR was filed. Authorities have frozen Rs 8 crore linked to him in multiple accounts and fixed deposits.

Following the allegations, the spiritual body associated with Chaitanyananda the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetha in Sringeri expelled him from his role and described his actions as “inappropriate.”

Chaitanyananda claims to have authored 28 books and over 140 research papers. His academic profile states he holds degrees including an MBA and PhD from the University of Chicago, along with multiple honorary doctorates. However, these claims are now under investigation, as police suspect many of his credentials may be exaggerated or fabricated.

"Multiple teams were formed to track the accused. After collecting intelligence, we found he was hiding in Agra under a false identity," a senior Delhi Police official said. He added that Chaitanyananda had been shifting locations frequently to avoid capture.

Chaitanyananda is now in police custody and is expected to face charges including sexual harassment, fraud, identity forgery, and financial misappropriation.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have stated that further arrests may follow if others are found to have assisted him while he was absconding.

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