Self-Styled Godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati Stayed In 15 Hotels Over 50 Days To Evade Police: Report

New Delhi: Self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati, accused of sexually harassing at least 17 women at a management institute in Delhi, stayed in 15 different hotels over 50 days while absconding, NDTV reported, citing police sources.

Chaitanyananda reportedly stayed in low-cost accommodations without CCTV cameras in an attempt to evade getting nabbed. His aides are believed to have selected the hotels for him. Police are currently searching for his associates.

The 62-year-old was arrested at a hotel in Uttar Pradesh's Agra, early on Sunday and is now in police custody. He is said to be uncooperative, providing evasive answers during questioning.

Chaitanyananda told police that he was "feeling anxious" and insisted the allegations against him were baseless. He also claimed to have forgotten the passwords to his mobile phones and other digital devices. Three phones and an iPad have been sent to a forensic lab for examination as part of the ongoing investigation.

Based on the ongoing investigation and the evidence recovered so far, police suspect that Swami Chaitanyananda has been exploiting women for at least 16 years. His actions, authorities believe, were emboldened by having previously escaped consequences in two earlier molestation cases filed in 2009 and 2016.

The second complaint reportedly came from a young woman residing at the same ashram in Vasant Kunj, Delhi. However, it appears that no action was taken at the time, neither by the police nor by the ashram authorities.

Targeted Poor Women

According to the police, Swami Chaitanyananda targeted women who were from Economically Weaker Sections.

 A complaint was filed on August 4 at the Vasant Kunj North Police Station in connection with the matter.

The police recoded the statements of 32 female PGDM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management) students under the EWS scholarship at Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management were recorded.

Out of the total students, 17 alleged that Saraswati used abusive language, sent obscene messages, and made unwanted physical advances.