Self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati sent to 5-day police custody by Delhi court

Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Sunday remanded self-styled godman Parthasarathy alias Chaitanyananda Saraswati to five days of police custody.

The 62-year-old, arrested from a hotel in Agra, faces allegations of molesting female students pursuing PGDM courses under the EWS scholarship at a private institute in Vasant Kunj, along with charges of forgery.

Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, also known as Parthasarathy, was the former chairman of a management college in southwest Delhi. He is accused of turning the women’s hostel into a “zone of fear,” according to TOI.


He reportedly maintained a private accommodation within the 75-bed hostel and had remote access to its CCTV cameras on his phone, allowing him to keep constant watch over the students.

Investigations revealed that he allegedly tampered with the institute’s DVR system, erasing crucial footage. Cameras were reportedly installed in lobbies and near washroom areas under the pretext of security, which he allegedly used to intimidate students.

The FIR states that he regularly threatened students with suspension or rustication, making it difficult for parents to intervene. Former students alleged that Saraswati coerced one girl into changing her name and made others wait for hours in his cabin with promises of better marks, placements, and tour opportunities.

The inquiry also uncovered alleged financial misconduct. Saraswati reportedly sublet institute property to private companies and used the funds to buy luxury vehicles, including a BMW, which police later seized. Victims recounted instances where he forcibly took female students out in his cars, adding to the climate of fear he cultivated in the hostel.