Fake ‘links’ to PMO, UN, BRICS, crores in cheating: How Delhi ‘godman’ caught for mass molestation built a web of deceit

SWami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, 62, the soi-disant godman who was eventually arrested after allegations of mass molestation of female person students at an bring he chaired, ran a astray network of lies and deceit, investigations have revealed.A former chairman of a college called Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management Research in Delhi's Vasant Kunj, he was on the run since August after a complaint by the Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, which owns the college.Here are all the key revelations so far:Mass molestation: A six-page FIR of August 5, which led to his arrest, includes statements from a 21-year-old student and references 32 other women who reportedly shared accounts of repeated harassment. The religious organisation that heads the college said they had already severed ties with him after cheating worth crores.Not the first case: Chaitanyananda Saraswati has five cases lodged against him, and he faced molestation charges nearly a decade ago too from a student in 2016. He is also facing charges of cheating and forgery.Also read | Not first molestation case against ChaitanyanandaUN number plate: He has been using nine fake diplomatic number on his cars with ‘UN’ (United Nations) markings, probe officers told HT. He also carried visiting cards that said he was “Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations”, news agency ANI reported citing police sources.BRICS ‘connection’: Chaitanyananda Saraswati also had visiting cards calling him a "Special Envoy of India" and a member of the Joint Commission of BRICS countries, ANI further reported. This might remind you of the Ghaziabad fake embassy case, wherein a man claimed to be the ambassador of non-existent country called ‘West Arctica’, and used fake number plates and stamps.Also read | ‘Godman’ Chaitanyananda's big lies exposed after arrest‘PMO link’ claim: His aides and he falsely claimed to have “connections” with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), too, to assert power, NDTV has reported. His associates made calls to people, implying “Swamiji” was linked to the PMO, which helped him with staying in hotels also while on the run, India Today said citing sources.Crores in cheating: Police froze more than ₹8 crore across 18 bank accounts and 28 fixed deposits belonging to him, police told HT. The charges against him are of cheating worth ₹122 crore. This matter was already going on before the molestation charges blew up. Late last year, an audit by the Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham — which owns the college where he assaulted students — had revealed he diverted ₹20 crore into a parallel trust he set up in 2010, India Today reported.Also read | How an email from an air force officer blew lid off self-styled godman's crimesFake passports: Since that matter of cheating came to light, Chaitanyananda Saraswati, also knows as Parthasarathy, absconded with ₹55 lakh funds. After that, the Math administration removed him from directorship and approached the police. A look-out notice was then issued. That is when he allegedly procure a forged passports under false identities. The police have now found two passports from him, one in the name of “Swami Partha Sarathi” and the other as “Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati” with different parent names and places of birth.