Agra, Sep 28 (NationPress) Swami Chaitanyanand Saraswati, who stands accused of sexually harassing numerous female students, has been apprehended in Agra, as confirmed by officials on Sunday.

The individual, also known as Partha Sarathy, serves as the director of the well-known Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management located in Delhi's affluent Vasant Kunj. He is currently entangled in a criminal case for allegedly targeting female students enrolled in post-graduate management diploma programs under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) scholarship category.

According to reports, the 'Swami' absconded on August 4, shortly after the institute received a complaint from the Indian Air Force headquarters alleging his involvement in the molestation of female students.

Investigators have found that Chaitanyanand would summon female students to his room late at night, threatening to fail them or lower their grades should they decline his advances.

So far, police have collected statements from three wardens of the institute, all of whom are accused of assisting Chaitanyanand in deleting incriminating evidence.

WhatsApp conversations retrieved from the devices of approximately 50 female students at the institute have unveiled details of abuse over a span of 16 years, including sexually explicit messages and instances of forced physical contact.

There are also allegations regarding the deletion of CCTV footage, with the DVR now being sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis.

Seventeen women filed reports at the Defence Colony Police Station in early August, accusing Chaitanyanand of harassing postgraduate management diploma students receiving scholarships under the EWS category.

Officials have noted that Chaitanyanand has allegedly been preying on women for almost two decades, having evaded previous molestation charges in 2009 and 2016.

The scandal gained traction when 17 women lodged complaints at the Defence Colony Police Station in early August. At that time, Chaitanyanand was reportedly in London, but he was ultimately traced to Agra.

He later submitted an anticipatory bail petition to the Delhi High Court but withdrew it shortly thereafter.

Adding to the controversy, law enforcement seized multiple forged number plates from Chaitanyanand's luxury red Volvo car, all of which displayed fake United Nations insignia with varying digits.

Investigations have confirmed that none of these plates were issued by the UN and were fabricated by Chaitanyanand himself. The vehicle has been confiscated as part of the ongoing inquiry.

Investigations are still underway.