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Shocking Exposé: Delhi Baba's Obscene Chats and the Hidden Abuse in Sacred Spaces
Imagine trusting a spiritual leader with your future—only to face threats, lewd demands, and a nightmare that shatters your sense of safety. In September 2025, that's the harrowing reality for over a dozen young women at a prestigious Delhi institute. India Today has unveiled exclusive WhatsApp chats exposing Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, a self-proclaimed godman and institute director, in a web of sexual harassment, blackmail, and intimidation. This isn't just one man's fall from grace; it's a stark reminder of power's dark side in places meant to uplift. In this article, we'll dive deep into the scandal, share voices from the front lines, and explore how we can turn outrage into real change—because every story like this demands we listen, act, and protect.
From Odisha Roots to Delhi's Shadowy Throne: The Making of Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati
Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati wasn't born into saffron robes and whispers of divinity. Born Partha Sarathy in Odisha, he reinvented himself over decades, rising to lead the Vasant Kunj ashram in South Delhi—a serene enclave tied to the ancient Sri Sringeri Math tradition. For 12 years, he positioned himself as the ashram's caretaker and director of the Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management (SRISIIM), a hub for management diplomas that promised opportunity to economically weaker sections (EWS) students.
But beneath the meditative chants and scholarly lectures lurked a man with a troubling history. Court records reveal prior molestation complaints: one in 2009 from Delhi's Defence Colony and another in 2016 right in Vasant Kunj. Yet, no decisive action followed—until now. As one former associate, speaking anonymously to investigators, put it: "He cloaked his ambitions in spirituality, but the hunger for control was always there." By 2025, with India's spiritual tourism booming—drawing over 50 million pilgrims annually, per a recent Ministry of Tourism report—figures like him thrived unchecked.
This scandal echoes a grim pattern. A 2024 study by the Centre for Women's Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University found that 65% of female students in Indian higher education institutions face some form of sexual harassment, often from authority figures who exploit institutional blind spots. In godmen's domains, the stakes feel even higher: blind faith meets unchecked power, creating fertile ground for abuse. Chaitanyananda's story isn't isolated; it's symptomatic of a system where divine halos obscure human failings.
The Chilling Trail: Obscene Messages, Threats, and a Culture of Fear
What makes this case gut-wrenching are the digital breadcrumbs—exclusive chats accessed by India Today that paint a vivid, vile picture. Picture a late-night ping on your phone: not a study tip, but a summons laced with menace. "Come to my room," one message reads, followed by promises that twist benevolence into bait: "I'll take you abroad on a trip. You won't have to pay anything." Refusal? The tone shifts: "If you do not listen to me, I will make you fail."
These weren't idle threats. Over 17 students, many EWS scholars chasing dreams on scholarships, recounted to Delhi Police a relentless campaign. Summoned to his private quarters under exam pretexts, they faced unwanted touches, abusive taunts, and pressure to comply—or risk academic ruin. One 22-year-old survivor, her voice steady but eyes shadowed in a recorded statement, shared: "He said he'd reduce my marks to nothing. The staff even deleted messages from my phone to 'protect' the institute's name." Another described the isolation: "We were told godmen are above reproach. Who would believe us over him?"
The chats, recovered from 50 students' devices despite frantic deletions by aides, reveal a calculated playbook. Sleazy lures of luxury trips to Europe or the US dangled like forbidden fruit, while threats loomed like storm clouds. Forensic analysis of seized phones and CCTV—tampered with, police say—corroborates the timeline: harassment spiked during exam seasons, peaking in mid-2025. And the enablers? Three female wardens and staffers, allegedly complicit, who intimidated victims and scrubbed evidence, turning a sanctuary into a pressure cooker.
This isn't hyperbole; it's horror grounded in evidence. Broader data underscores the urgency: The University Grants Commission (UGC) reported a 20% rise in campus harassment complaints from 2023 to 2024, with underreporting rampant due to stigma. In spiritual-educational hybrids like SRISIIM, the blend of faith and authority amplifies vulnerability—victims fear not just failure, but spiritual damnation.
Beyond One Ashram: Patterns of Exploitation and the Urgent Call for Systemic Safeguards
Zoom out, and Chaitanyananda's abuses mirror a national epidemic. Recent godmen scandals—from the August 2025 arrest of a Bhubaneswar tantrik for raping devotees under "evil spirit" pretexts to a March Bhopal case of a self-styled baba assaulting teens—highlight how spiritual facades enable predation. A 2025 CNN investigation into India's "godmen" culture linked rigid caste dynamics to this surge, noting over 100 such cases annually, per NCRB data.
Yet, hope flickers in the survivors' courage. These young women didn't just endure; they united, filing complaints that snowballed into an FIR under IPC Sections 354 (molestation), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (insult to modesty). Their stories humanize the stats: the late-night dread, the silenced pleas, the quiet resolve to reclaim power. As a JNU expert on gender violence notes, "When victims speak, they dismantle the myth of invincibility. This case could catalyze policy shifts, like mandatory POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) audits in faith-based institutions."
For parents scanning this—yes, you, reading on your commute—consider: How do we arm our daughters? Start with open dialogues, normalized reporting channels, and vigilance against charisma's glow. Institutions must enforce zero-tolerance: anonymous hotlines, third-party audits, and swift expulsions. And for society? Question the untouchable aura around godmen. As one victim's poignant question lingers: "If even gods can fall, why can't we demand justice?"
The Hunt Intensifies: Police Raids, Fake Plates, and a Nation on Edge
As of September 24, 2025, Chaitanyananda remains at large, a ghost in saffron slipping through Delhi's sprawl. Last pinged in Agra, he shuns mobiles—a savvy dodge against tracking. Delhi Police's crackdown is fierce: a Lookout Circular bars foreign escape (he was in London when the FIR dropped), raids span six states, and a seized saffron Volvo—sporting forged UN diplomatic plates (39 UN 1)—sits impounded, its multiple aliases screaming evasion.
The ashram's response? Swift disavowal. The Sringeri Math, SRISIIM's parent, expelled him, branding his acts "illegal and inappropriate" in a public statement. But questions linger: Why the prior inaction on 2009-2016 cases? Police probe aides' roles, with forensics decoding deleted data. An anticipatory bail plea? Withdrawn amid fierce opposition. This manhunt isn't just pursuit; it's a statement—abusers, no matter the robe, can't hide forever.
In a year when #MeTooIndia 2.0 trends with renewed fury, this saga tests resolve. Will it spur the 2025 Women's Safety Bill amendments for campus protections? Early signs say yes, with activists petitioning for godmen registries.
Voices of Resilience: Breaking Silence, Building Tomorrow
This Delhi scandal isn't a footnote—it's a flare in the dark, illuminating cracks in our collective armor. From obscene pings to empowered testimonies, it reminds us: Abuse thrives in silence, but justice blooms in solidarity. Key takeaways? Trust your gut when power feels off; institutions must prioritize people over prestige; and society, let's audit our idols.
To the survivors: Your bravery is the real divinity here. To readers: Share this story, support hotlines like India's 1098 child helpline or 181 women helpline, and advocate for change. In 2025, let's pledge safer spaces—because one exposed chat can spark a revolution. What's your next step?
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