Tihar Jail told a Delhi court that accused godman Chaitanyananda is being held in “safe and secure custody” despite his claims of life threats inside prison. Jail officials said he named no one and assured the court that security measures are already in place.
Tihar Jail authorities have told a Delhi court that self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati, who is accused of sexually harassing 16 women students at a private management institute in south-west Delhi, is being kept in
“safe and secure custody”.
This update came after Chaitanyananda told the court that his life was in danger inside the jail.
The jail administration submitted a detailed status report before Judicial Magistrate Animesh Kumar. The report, signed by a deputy superintendent, said that when officials spoke to Chaitanyananda about his complaint, he did not give the name or identity of any person who was threatening him.
Jail officials told the court that staff members have been instructed to stay alert and that Chaitanyananda has been asked to immediately inform them if he feels unsafe or harassed at any time.
The report also said he was worried about his safety not only inside the jail, but also in the lock-up and during travel to and from the court.
In response, the Tihar administration informed the court that they have written to a DCP-level Delhi Police officer to ensure full security while bringing him to the court and taking him back to prison.
Regarding his complaint about not being permitted to wear a saffron robe, the jail told the court that they had no objection to it. They also confirmed that he was being provided a restricted diet without onion and garlic, as he had requested.
Chaitanyananda was presented before the magistrate on November 15, after finishing his 14-day judicial custody.
During this hearing, he made the allegations that led the court to seek the status report. Earlier, on November 7, he had withdrawn his bail application in the sessions court, saying through his lawyer that the charges would be studied properly after the police filed their chargesheet.
The police have told the court that statements of all 16 victims have already been recorded before a magistrate.
The mobile phones of five victims have been seized, and the remaining phones will also be collected soon. The investigation team is still waiting for the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) reports.
Investigating Officer ACP Ved Prakash informed the court that police had also recovered obscene photos and comments, and that the screenshots have been preserved as evidence.
So far, five people, including three women, have been arrested in this case.
Earlier, on October 15, the court had denied a request to seize certain memos but had allowed Chaitanyananda some facilities in jail—such as wearing his Sanyasi robe, access to medicines, spectacles, books, and specific food items.
He was earlier sent to judicial custody on October 3 till October 17.
The Delhi Police told the court that they also added a new charge under Section 232 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), related to threatening witnesses to give false evidence. This was added after one of the complainants said she had been threatened following registration of the case.
Chaitanyananda, aged 62, was arrested from a hotel after avoiding police for several days. He was medically examined at Safdarjung Hospital before being produced in court.
DCP (South-West) Amit Goel said a special team had been following him across Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, and finally arrested him in Agra.
Days before his arrest, a former student—who had filed the first FIR against him in 2016—gave fresh information to the police.
She told the media that her first complaint of molestation and harassment was ignored, and added that if action had been taken earlier, many other women could have been saved.
She described in detail how he allegedly controlled students by taking away their laptops, mobile phones, and educational documents, and by making false promises of foreign job placements, all while sexually harassing them.
The present case began after an FIR was filed on September 23 at Vasant Kunj North Police Station, where several women students enrolled under the EWS (Economically Weaker Section) scholarship scheme in the PGDM programme accused him of sexual harassment and misconduct.
Following these allegations, the Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri, cancelled the Power of Attorney that had been granted to him in 2008.
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