Even as self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati, who has been accused of sexually harassing 17 students at a private management institute, remains on the run, more stories are surfacing against an "inescapable web" he created to intimidate students, and ensure that he had the final say at the institute's functioning.
A student from the Economically Weaker Section quota filed a complaint in March 2025, alleging that she was asked to pay an additional amount, despite paying Rs 60,000 as donation, a family friend of the woman told PTI.
Chaitanyananda (62), a former chairman of the management institute in southwest Delhi, had built a network of loyalists inside the institute by appointing them to posts they did not even qualify for, he said on condition of anonymity.
She was told by Chaitanyananda that either she should pay another Rs 60,000, work without salary at the institute for a year, or leave the college, he added.
An FIR was registered on August 4 against Chaitanyananda after the administration of the private management institute said that during a virtual meeting with over 30 female students, several of them narrated instances of sexual harassment, manipulation and threats by him.
He allegedly forced female students to visit his quarters late at night and sent them inappropriate text messages.
The family friend of the complainant further said the husband and sister of a woman, who worked as an associate dean and allegedly helped Chaitanyananda by intimidating students and deleting incriminating messages, were also given positions at the institute.
Several professors too were reportedly ex-students who lacked the qualifications required for faculty roles, he alleged.
He created such a web that no one could escape it.
He added that when the woman decided to leave the institute, other female students expressed helplessness, saying they had no way out.
He further claimed that there were indications that female students were harassed, intimidated and threatened by the former chairman and his close aides.
In one instance, a victim who had suffered a hairline fracture and shared her medical reports with Chaitanyananda told her that she began receiving lewd and inappropriate text messages from him, he said.
Asked about the self-styled godman, a senior police officer agreed that Chaitanyananda had placed different people known to him in several positions and created a "kingdom", where his rules were final.
The FIR against Chaitanyananda mentions that the scandal came to light after an email by an IAF Group Captain with the Directorate of Education, Air Headquarters.
The officer relayed complaints received from female students of the institute about Chaitanyananda's alleged misconduct.
The institute, in a statement issued to the press, acknowledged receiving the email on August 1 and confirmed that the complaints against the former chairman had been formally reported.
'He isolated students by seizing their phones'
Chaitanyananda allegedly controlled their lives by taking away their mobile phones and original certificates, leaving them feeling compelled to comply with his dictates, a friend of one of the victims has claimed.
"He marked students first and asked them to deposit their phones so they could 'focus on studies'. The phones would remain in his custody for some time, and in return, he would hand over a new one of his choice. This ensured that communication was under his control and did not reach anyone else," the man, who studied at the same institute, told PTI.
Requesting anonymity, he said, once a student was admitted, his rule made it mandatory to submit all original documents and certificates, which were returned only upon completion of the course.
"This created a sense of fear, as every student's career was locked there. If anyone dared to resist or complain, they were worried that their certificates might never be returned, ruining their careers," he noted.
The friend also alleged that female students were threatened with failure or expulsion for not complying with Saraswati or his close aides. "Girls were frequently warned that their careers would be destroyed if they opposed him. Some were even expelled from the institute. Finally, someone dared to raise her voice," he added.
He further alleged that Saraswati's staff, particularly three women -- one of whom had been a student from the same institute -- acted as conduits for his instructions.
The man recalled an incident in which a friend was punished for resisting. "She was made to stand outside for hours until she broke down. Later, when she managed to escape, Baba's guards and driver even searched for her at her relatives' homes and in her hometown. Their behaviour was more like that of a goon than a saint," he alleged.
He claimed that the atmosphere of fear was compounded by the frequent visits of influential people, including politicians, foreign delegates, and company representatives. "Saraswati flaunted his high-level contacts. He called himself a billionaire, a feminist, and boasted of embassy connections," he added.
According to him, Saraswati's "modus operandi" was to first trap students with assurances of good jobs and then isolate them through psychological pressure, surveillance, and threats.