New Delhi [India], September 29 : Delhi Police on Monday questioned Chaitanyananda Saraswati in connection with allegations of sexual harassment of female students at Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management.
Early this morning, the police took him to the institute and questioned him in the room where he allegedly called students. The police also asked him about the cameras he had access to. He was later brought back to the police station, where senior officers continued to interrogate him.
A day earlier, Delhi's Patiala House Court sent Chaitanyananda Saraswati to five days' police custody.
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.
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.
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.
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.