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New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) Delhi Police has filed a charge sheet in the Patiala House Court against self-styled godman ‘Swami’ Chaitanyanananda Saraswati, director of Shri Sharda Institute of Indian Management in Vasant Kunj in the capital, and three others in a sensational case related to allegations of sexual exploitation of 17 female students at the institute.
Chaitanyanandha, who is still lodged in Tihar jail, was arrested in September after being on the run for several weeks.
It is expected that Patiala House Court will take cognizance of the charge sheet on Thursday.
According to investigators, the charge sheet outlines a wide pattern of misconduct allegedly committed at the institute, where Chaitanyanandha served as director and wielded considerable influence over the academic and hostel hierarchy.
Delhi Police had recorded statements of several students, wardens and staff members along with digital evidence and forensic material.
The charges naming Chaitanyanandha and three associates include sexual harassment, criminal intimidation, destruction of evidence and other serious crimes.
According to investigators, the co-accused allegedly helped ‘Swami’ in calling female students, mainly women enrolled under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) scholarship category, to restricted areas including the “torture chamber” on the ground floor of the institute.
During the investigation, WhatsApp chats recovered from the phones of around 50 students have revealed disturbing details of coercion and alleged abuse spanning nearly 16 years.
The scam first came to light in August this year when 17 women lodged a formal complaint at the Defense Colony police station, accusing the director of systematically exploiting his authority.
According to Delhi Police, Chaitanyanandha has allegedly been preying on women for nearly two decades, emboldened by his ability to escape previous molestation charges in 2009 and 2016.
Adding to the controversy, the police recovered several fake number plates from Chaitanyanandha’s luxury red Volvo car, all bearing fake UN insignia with different numbers. Investigation confirmed that none of the plates were issued by the United Nations and were made by the accused himself. The car has been seized as part of the ongoing investigation.
He also had two visiting cards. On the visiting card of one of the accused, he described himself as a member of the BRICS Commission and wrote “Special Envoy from India”. In his UN visiting card he described himself as “Permanent Ambassador”.
–IANS
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