New Delhi, Oct 3 (NationPress) A court in the capital has placed 'Swami' Chaitanyanand Saraswati, charged with molesting 17 female students, in 14-day judicial custody.

The individual, also known as Partha Sarathy, was presented before the Patiala House Court after the conclusion of a previously granted 5-day police custody.

'Swami' Chaitanyanand Saraswati, who serves as the director of the esteemed Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management in the upscale Vasant Kunj area of Delhi, is embroiled in a criminal case involving allegations of targeting female students enrolled in post-graduate management diploma programs through the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) scholarship scheme.

Reports indicate that the 'Swami' fled on August 4, shortly after the institute received a complaint from the Indian Air Force (IAF) headquarters, which accused him of molesting female students.

On September 28, he was apprehended at a hotel in Agra. Following this, Chaitanyanand was presented before the Delhi court, which ordered him into 5-day police custody.

The police interrogated him for several hours at the institute before returning him.

Investigators revealed that Chaitanyanand would summon female students to his room late at night, threatening them with failing grades if they rejected his advances.

The police also took Chaitanyanand to a 'torture room' on the institution's ground floor, where he reportedly called female students for private meetings. Up to this point, the police have recorded statements from three wardens of the institute.

According to the complainants, these wardens assisted Chaitanyanand in bringing the girls to his room. Recently, the Delhi Police detained two female associates for questioning.

It remains unclear if the detained individuals are the same wardens. WhatsApp conversations retrieved from the phones of around 50 female students revealed a pattern of abuse spanning 16 years, which included sexually explicit messages and instances of forced physical contact.

Allegations have also emerged regarding the deletion of CCTV footage, with the DVR currently sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis. During the investigation, police examined the positioning of CCTV cameras on the premises. Chaitanyanand has also been questioned concerning these cameras.

The inquiry is aimed at establishing which cameras Chaitanyanand had access to and how he monitored the female students' activities. Seventeen women lodged complaints at the Defence Colony Police Station in early August, detailing harassment by Chaitanyanand.

Officials have indicated that Chaitanyanand has allegedly preyed on women for nearly two decades, emboldened by his ability to evade previous molestation charges in 2009 and 2016.

This scandal came to light when 17 women filed complaints at the Defence Colony Police Station in early August. At that time, Chaitanyanand was in London, but he was later tracked to Agra.

He subsequently filed an anticipatory bail petition in the Delhi High Court, which he withdrew shortly thereafter. Adding to the controversy, police discovered several forged license plates from Chaitanyanand's luxury red Volvo, all displaying fake United Nations insignia with varying digits.

Investigations confirmed that none of these plates were legitimate and were created by the accused himself. The vehicle has been confiscated as part of the ongoing investigation.

Additionally, he possessed two visiting cards. On one card, Chaitanyanand claimed to be a BRICS Commission Member while describing himself as a Special Envoy from India. On another card, he identified as a Permanent Ambassador of the UN.