After Weeks in Hiding, Delhi Baba Nabbed Over Molestation Allegations by 17 Women

Delhi ‘Godman’ Accused of Molesting 17 Women Arrested in Agra After 50 Days on the Run.

Self-styled godman Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, also known as Partha Sarathy, has been arrested after more than 50 days in hiding. Wanted in multiple cases of sexual harassment, he was caught around 3:30 am from Hotel First in Agra’s Taj Ganj area, officials confirmed.

Allegations of Harassment

Chaitanyananda, the so-called “director” of the Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, faces complaints of sending lewd text messages, using abusive language, making threats, and molesting students.

The case escalated when the Air Force headquarters intervened after receiving complaints from students — many of them children of Air Force personnel — studying at the institute. According to an FIR, a Group Captain from the Directorate of Education flagged allegations of harassment, intimidation, and inappropriate messages.

In early August, 17 women jointly lodged complaints at Defence Colony Police Station, accusing the Baba of exploiting scholarship students from economically weaker sections (EWS). Victims alleged he lured them with promises of foreign trips, called them to his room, and even installed secret cameras in the women’s hostel.

Expelled by Ashram

Following the uproar, the Delhi ashram expelled Chaitanyananda from his position. The unit he headed was a branch of the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetha in Sringeri, one of South India’s most respected religious institutions, which denounced his actions as “inappropriate.”

Inflated Credentials

Despite his arrest, Chaitanyananda’s academic and literary profile has raised eyebrows. He claims to have authored 28 books and 143 research papers, with endorsements allegedly from Steve Jobs, Ban Ki-Moon, and Barack Obama. His profile further asserts that he earned an MBA and PhD from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, completed post-doctoral studies, and holds multiple honorary doctorates — though many of these claims remain unverified.