Police have issued a lookout circular to prevent him from fleeing the country and multiple teams are in pursuit, officials said.
Authorities said that the accused was last traced to Agra but has been frequently changing locations and avoiding mobile phones to escape tracking, as per news agency PTI. A first information report (FIR) has been filed against him.
Harassment allegations and lewd messages
A 21-year-old scholarship student alleged in her FIR that the 62-year-old Swami sent her objectionable late-night messages.
“Baby, I love you. I adore you, you are looking beautiful today,” one of his texts read, with further remarks made on her appearance, as per The Indian Express. The student claimed that he repeatedly urged her to respond, while female staff allegedly advised her to reply.
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WhatsApp chats recovered from other students’ phone corroborate this pattern of behaviour.
Dozens of young women received sleazy messages such as “Come to my room… I’ll take you on a trip abroad, you won’t have to pay anything,” as per NDTV.
In many cases, he allegedly threatened to fail students if they did not comply with his demands, as per News18.
Victims from EWS quota targeted
Chaitanyananda specifically preyed on students admitted under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota, believing that they would be less likely to report against him, as per NDTV.
Police investigation has revealed that at least 17 out of 32 female students who were interviewed, accused him of sending obscene texts, using abusive language, and making unwanted advances.
Their statements were recorded before a magistrate, according to the Hindustan Times.
The FIR also named three women staff members who allegedly coerced students into submitting to Chaitanyananda’s demands and pressured them to delete his messages, as per News18.
Some victims were also allegedly forced to change their names against their will.
Early complaints and Air Force alert
The first formal complaint came from the alumnus of the institute, Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management-Research. On July 31, she alerted the management of Swami’s conduct.
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Soon after, the institute received an email from a Group Captain in the Indian Air Force Directorate of Education, flagging multiple student complaints, as many belonged to Air Force families, as per NDTV.
The institute is affiliated with the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri, which has distanced itself from the Swami, calling his conduct “inappropriate,” as per NDTV.
Past cases and criminal record
This is not the first time the baba has faced legal trouble. Cases of molestation and fraud were registered against him in 2009 at Defence Colony, followed by another molestation complaint in 2016 at Vasant Kunj, PTI reported citing sources.
Despite all this, he continued to run the institute by serving as its chairman and “sanchalak”.
Police have also booked him for forgery after discovering a Volvo car with fake diplomatic plates at the institute, along with nine forged number plates. A second FIR for forgery and cheating was reportedly filed on August 25.
