‘Torture chamber’, ‘special puja’: How Swami Chaitanyananda abused Delhi ashram girls

Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati

The scandal surrounding self-styled godman Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati has taken a darker turn, with fresh details revealing how his office inside a Delhi management institute was allegedly used as a “torture chamber” to harass female students.

According to reports, the 62-year-old fugitive also exploited students by taking them on a trip to Haridwar under the guise of performing a special puja, where they were abused on their way back.

The ‘torture chamber’ inside Sri Sharada institute


Investigators were cited by TimesNow as saying that Chaitanyananda operated out of a ground-floor office at the Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management in Vasant Kunj, where several women were allegedly coerced into sexual favours. Victims said the space, which appeared to be a regular office, became a site of intimidation and abuse, earning the chilling label of a “torture chamber”.

To trap his targets, the godman and his associates reportedly confiscated the students’ original educational certificates. Police sources explained that this tactic ensured the women could not easily walk away from the institute or expose his actions.

Haridwar ‘special puja’



In another disturbing revelation, TimesNow reported that Chaitanyananda took a group of female students to Haridwar shortly after buying a new BMW car.

The trip was presented as an opportunity to perform a special puja. However, investigators allege that the girls were subjected to abuse on the journey back to Delhi.

Students’ testimonies



A complaint filed on August 4 at Vasant Kunj North Police Station triggered a wider inquiry. During the probe, statements of 32 students enrolled in the institute’s EWS scholarship programme were recorded. At least 17 of them alleged harassment, ranging from obscene messages and abusive language to physical advances.

Police added that three women on the faculty and administrative staff also played a role in coercing the students, by pressuring them to comply with the godman’s demands.

Fugitive with a controversial past



Chaitanyananda, previously known as Swami Parthasarathy, is currently absconding. Delhi Police have formed multiple teams to trace and arrest him. He has a history of similar complaints: a molestation and fraud case was filed against him in 2009, followed by another molestation case in 2016.

Despite this record, he managed to sustain an image as an educationist and author, publishing 28 books that remain available on e-commerce platforms. Meanwhile, a senior police officer confirmed that the search for the godman is underway.