Self-styled godman facing 17 sexual harassment allegations arrested in Agra

Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, a self-styled godman and former chancellor of a Delhi-based educational institute, was arrested by Delhi Police from a hotel in Agra on September 28 amid mounting allegations of sexual harassment and financial fraud.

At least 17 women — mostly current and former students from the Economically Weaker Section enrolled under scholarships — have accused the 63-year-old spiritual leader of making unwelcome sexual advances. Their testimonies, recorded before a Delhi court, form the backbone of a widening probe that has shaken the religious body once associated with him.

Police said Chaitanyananda’s arrest followed weeks of investigation after an administrator at the institute lodged a formal complaint in August. The Delhi Police crime branch tracked him to Agra, where he was staying after returning from London earlier this month.

The arrest comes just days after a court denied him bail in a separate case of alleged embezzlement and misappropriation of ₹20 crore belonging to the trust that runs the institute. Investigators have already frozen 18 bank accounts and 28 fixed deposits linked to him, containing over ₹8 crore.

This is not the first time Chaitanyananda has faced allegations of sexual misconduct. He was booked for molestation in 2009 and again in 2016, though in both instances he managed to avoid arrest. Police sources confirmed that those cases remain pending trial.

The religious body that once elevated him to positions of power has since distanced itself, issuing a statement last month declaring it had severed all ties.

Court records reveal that Chaitanyananda withdrew his September 6 bail plea after the judge reprimanded him for attempting to disclose the identities of his alleged victims in violation of law.

With multiple criminal cases converging — ranging from sexual harassment to large-scale financial fraud — Delhi Police officials said they are preparing to oppose any fresh bail plea and push for custodial interrogation.