Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, a self-styled godman accused of sexually harassing 17 women, has been arrested after 50 days on the run. Police said the 62-year-old was traced to a hotel in Agra on Sunday and produced before a Delhi court, where investigators sought five days of custody.
Chaitanyananda allegedly harassed female students at a Delhi institute he once chaired, luring them with promises of foreign trips and secretly installing cameras in hostels. The women accused him of sending lewd messages, abusive language and forced physical contact. Police said he evaded earlier molestation charges in 2009 and 2016 through his influence.
The investigation revealed a web of fraud. Chaitanyananda carried forged visiting cards naming him a “Permanent Ambassador of the UN” and “Special Envoy of BRICS.” He faked ties to the Prime Minister’s Office and obtained two passports under different identities. Officials said he also ran multiple bank accounts under false particulars, withdrew more than $600,000 after the case was filed, and misused property of Sharada Peeth in a $48 million fraud.
Police froze assets worth about $9.6 million. Authorities suspect his claims of academic degrees and endorsements from global figures were fabricated.