Delhi Police have arrested self-styled spiritual leader Chaitanyananda Saraswati, also known as Parthasarathy, in a dramatic early-morning raid at a hotel in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The 62-year-old, whose arrest occurred at around 3:30 am on September 28, 2025, faces a storm of allegations, including sexual harassment, financial fraud, and impersonation, as reported by ANI and Mathrubhumi.
The arrest is the culmination of a multi-pronged investigation that began nearly two months earlier, when an administrator from the Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management in South Delhi filed a complaint on August 4. According to Delhi Police, the complaint detailed alleged sexual misconduct by Saraswati, who was then serving as chairman of the institute. The institute, affiliated with Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri, runs a Postgraduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) program, with many students enrolled under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) scholarship scheme.
As the investigation unfolded, the scale of the accusations grew. Statements from 32 female students were recorded, with 17 of them directly accusing Saraswati of using abusive language, sending obscene messages via WhatsApp and SMS, and making unwanted physical contact. Some students described being pressured to visit Saraswati’s quarters late at night and receiving inappropriate messages at odd hours, while also being monitored through their phones. According to ANI, certain women faculty or administrators at the institute allegedly pressured victims into complying with the accused’s inappropriate demands, deepening concerns over institutional complicity.
The formal case under sexual harassment laws was registered on September 23, setting off a manhunt. Saraswati reportedly fled Delhi on August 4, the very day the FIR was lodged against him. Multiple police teams were formed, and, acting on a tip, officers tracked him to a hotel in Agra’s Taj Ganj area. Bharat, a receptionist at the hotel, recounted to ANI that Saraswati checked in around 4 pm on September 27, using the name Partha Sarthy. “Our female staff member who stays here at night got his entry and registration done. No one came to meet him that day. At night around 3:30 am, two policemen came who identified themselves as Inspectors of the Delhi Crime Branch. The two talked to Baba in his room for 10 minutes and took him away... Baba told us his name as Partha Sarthy.”
But the arrest itself was just the tip of the iceberg. When police apprehended Saraswati, they recovered two counterfeit identity cards from his possession. One card identified him as a “Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations,” while the other described him as a “Special Envoy of India” and a member of the BRICS Joint Commission. Authorities swiftly confirmed that both IDs were entirely fabricated, designed to project false diplomatic credentials and global influence. According to ANI, these fake cards were a calculated effort to bolster Saraswati’s public image and credibility, allowing him to pose as a figure of international stature.
Police sources told ANI that Saraswati’s alleged crimes extended far beyond sexual harassment and identity fraud. Investigators linked him to serious financial misconduct, revealing a tangled web of bank accounts operated under various names. After the FIR was registered, Saraswati reportedly withdrew over ₹50 lakh from these accounts. Authorities had previously frozen ₹8 crore connected to him, spread across multiple bank accounts and fixed deposits, as part of their probe into financial irregularities and fraud.
The Sri Sharada Peetham, the spiritual institution with which Saraswati had long been affiliated, took swift action in the wake of the scandal. The Peetham revoked the Power of Attorney it had issued to Saraswati in 2008, signaling a decisive break from the disgraced spiritual leader. The move underscores the gravity of the allegations and the reputational risk faced by institutions associated with Saraswati.
Delhi Police officials have stressed that the investigation remains ongoing. Saraswati is expected to face further interrogation regarding the origins of the forged diplomatic credentials and the source of the funds found in his frozen accounts. The authorities are also probing the role of faculty and administrators who may have facilitated or enabled his alleged misconduct at the institute.
For many observers, the Saraswati case is a chilling reminder of the dangers posed by unchecked authority and the vulnerabilities of those seeking guidance or opportunity within educational and spiritual institutions. The allegations of sexual harassment, in particular, have sent shockwaves through the academic community, prompting renewed calls for vigilance and reform. The case also highlights the ease with which individuals can exploit fabricated identities to gain influence and evade scrutiny. As one senior police officer told ANI, “Multiple teams were formed to nab Saraswati. Based on inputs, we tracked him to a hotel in Agra’s Taj Ganj area and caught him from there around 3.30 am on Sunday.”
The financial dimension of the case is equally troubling. The use of multiple aliases and bank accounts, coupled with the rapid withdrawal of funds following the FIR, points to a calculated attempt to evade law enforcement and conceal illicit gains. The freezing of ₹8 crore across various accounts and fixed deposits is a testament to the scale of the alleged fraud. Investigators are now tasked with untangling the complex financial trail left in Saraswati’s wake, with the hope of recovering stolen assets and delivering justice to the victims.
Meanwhile, the Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management faces its own reckoning. The allegations that certain women faculty or administrators pressured victims into silence or compliance raise questions about the culture of accountability within the institution. As the investigation continues, authorities are expected to scrutinize the institute’s leadership and oversight mechanisms to determine whether further action is warranted.
The Saraswati saga has gripped public attention, not just for its lurid details, but for what it reveals about the intersection of power, trust, and vulnerability in contemporary India. The spectacle of a self-styled godman using fake diplomatic credentials to mask alleged predatory behavior is, in many ways, a cautionary tale for all institutions—spiritual, educational, or otherwise. It’s a stark reminder that even those who claim moral or spiritual authority must be held to the highest standards of accountability.
As Delhi Police prepare to present Saraswati before the court and continue their meticulous investigation, the eyes of the nation remain fixed on the unfolding case. The hope among victims, their families, and the broader public is that justice will be served—and that the lessons of this scandal will lead to lasting change in how such allegations are handled in the future.
The coming weeks will likely bring more revelations as investigators dig deeper into the financial and institutional networks that enabled Saraswati’s rise and, ultimately, his fall. For now, the arrest marks a significant step in a long and complex journey towards justice and institutional reform.
