Delhi court sends Chaitanyananda Saraswati to five-day police custody in sexual harassment case

He is facing allegations of molesting girl students enrolled in the PGDM programme under the EWS scholarship and of forgery.

Duty Magistrate Ravi passed the order.

Speaking to ANI, Saraswati's lawyer, Manish Gandhi, stated that some prominent individuals are allegedly involved in a "huge conspiracy" behind him, and the issue is something else.

"A five-day remand was sought by the police. We also filed certain applications, which the judge granted. In those applications, we were granted daily visits, while the police were granted five days' custody. There's a huge conspiracy behind this. The issue is something else. Some very prominent people are involved in this, whose names we will soon disclose..." Gandhi said.

Earlier, the accused underwent a medical examination at Safdarjung Hospital before being produced in court. He had been apprehended from a hotel in Agra on Saturday night by the Delhi Police Crime Branch.

Police recovered two fake visiting cards from Chaitanyananda Saraswati, one claiming he is a Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations and another describing him as a member of the BRICS Joint Commission and a Special Envoy of India.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West) Amit Goel said that they would seek the remand of Chaitanyananda Saraswati in connection with the alleged sexual harassment case.

Police also recovered three phones, an iPad, and fake visiting cards from Chaitanyananda Saraswati, which showed him as a government official linked to BRICS and the UN.

Speaking to reporters, DCP Goel said, "We had formed a team and for the last three days we were carrying out searches in various states- Haryana, Rajasthan, UP, and even West Bengal to look for Partha Sarty alias Chaityanand Saraswati. We received success last night when we were able to nab him in Agra. He was identified, apprehended, and brought to Delhi. Further investigation will follow."

"We have recovered three phones and one iPad, which will be investigated. Fake visiting cards have also been recovered, which showed him as an official of the Government of India representing BRICS and the UN. He was changing his location every day to evade arrest. Living mainly in Mathura, Vrindavan, and Agra. He has been arrested in the molestation case, and we will seek his police remand today," he said.

Chaitanyananda Saraswati, also known as Partha Sarathy, is accused of sexually harassing female students at Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management. The institute, affiliated with Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri, offers a Postgraduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) course under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) scholarship.

On September 23, Delhi Police had registered a case of alleged sexual harassment against the accused based on a complaint filed at Vasant Kunj North Police Station.

According to the FIR, Chaitanyananda Saraswati has been accused of allegedly committing multiple acts of sexual harassment and misconduct. The complaint states that the Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri, revoked the Powers of Attorney issued to him in 2008. (ANI)