Swami Chaitanyanand Saraswati, who faced accusations of molestation by 17 women at his institute in Delhi, has been placed in a 14-day judicial custody until October 17. The Patiala House Court made this decision following the expiry of his 5-day police custody earlier on Friday.
Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, the former director of the Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management-Research in Delhi, was brought to court after being arrested by Delhi police on September 28 in Agra. Digital evidence from his phone revealed inappropriate comments made by him on images of female students shared in a yoga WhatsApp group.
Despite the mounting evidence, the accused, also known as Parthasarathy, has reportedly shown no guilt or remorse. Consequently, the Sri Sringeri Math administration removed him from his position as director, and the police issued a Look-Out Notice to prevent him from fleeing the country.
According to the filed FIR, the 62-year-old baba allegedly coerced female students to visit his quarters late at night, sent them inappropriate text messages, and monitored their movements through his phone. Three of his close associates, Shweta Sharma, Bhawna Kapil, and Kajal, were arrested for aiding the crimes, threatening complainants, and tampering with evidence.
During a search of the Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management (SRISIIM) campus where Parthasarathy worked, Delhi police recovered objectionable material, including a sex toy, five CDs with alleged pornographic content, and three forged photographs depicting him with prominent figures such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former US President Barack Obama.
The case has incited public outrage, prompting calls for stricter oversight of self-proclaimed godmen exploiting religious platforms for personal gain. Delhi Police have pledged to thoroughly investigate all aspects, including potential connections to trafficking and forgery.