Disturbing allegations have surfaced against Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, also known as Partha Sarathy, who is accused of sexually harassing and molesting multiple female students at the Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area.
The accused, a former director of the institute, allegedly targeted students enrolled under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) scholarship program. According to reports, Chaitanyananda installed CCTV cameras around the girls’ hostel, including near washrooms, claiming they were for security purposes. The footage was allegedly monitored on his phone, and students were interrogated about their personal lives and intimate relationships.
Victims claimed he asked invasive questions about their sexual activities, including whether they were sexually active with boyfriends and if they used condoms. They also said he sent late-night WhatsApp messages with inappropriate content, such as “Baby, I love you” and “I adore you.”
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Several students reported being humiliated in front of peers. One student from Haryana was reportedly labeled “characterless” for having a boyfriend, while another recounted seeing a woman flee Chaitanyananda’s office in tears, her clothes torn.
On Holi, women were allegedly forced to line up, bow to him, and let him smear color on their hair and cheeks, while faculty instructed that no one else could do so before him.
Multiple students stated that they were summoned to his private quarters at night and coerced into domestic and foreign trips. One complainant narrowly avoided being taken to Mathura despite repeated pressure. A 2015 graduate recalled witnessing a student flee Chaitanyananda’s office in tears, which led some students to drop out due to fear.
Those who resisted reportedly faced punitive actions, such as manipulated attendance records, deducted marks, or withheld academic documents. One student was allegedly told to pay ₹15,000 to retrieve her certificates.
The complaint also named three female staff members, including the associate dean, who allegedly pressured students to comply, forced the deletion of evidence, and even compelled one student to change her name. According to police statements, several victims were subjected to obscene messages, harassment, and unwanted physical contact by the accused, who resided on the institute campus.
One complainant from 2016 alleged that Chaitanyananda confiscated her phone, isolated her in the hostel, and monitored her movements through landline calls and cameras, threatening her with influential contacts if she disobeyed.
Authorities also allege financial misconduct, including forging books, running a printing press from the institute, subletting floors to private firms, and diverting funds to purchase luxury vehicles. Investigators have seized his BMW, valued at ₹1.5 crore, reportedly used to transport students to Rishikesh under the guise of industrial visits. A Volvo with a fake diplomatic number plate was also recovered from the institute basement.
Officials noted that Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, originally Partha Sarathy from Odisha, is alleged to have targeted women for nearly two decades, reportedly evading previous molestation charges in 2009 and 2016.
Chaitanyananda Saraswati Absconding
The main accused is currently absconding. Authorities have issued a lookout circular and are conducting raids across multiple states to locate him. A case was registered at the Vasant Kunj (North) police station on August 4 under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, citing charges including sexual harassment, outraging the modesty of women, and criminal intimidation. Following these revelations, the Sri Sringeri Institute has officially severed all ties with him.
