Delhi Court Denies Bail to Godman in Fraud Case

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 26th Sept: A Delhi court on Friday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati, accused of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy involving large-scale misappropriation of funds.

Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur cited the “nascent stage” of the investigation and said police require his custodial interrogation to trace the entire chain of alleged fraud, conspiracy and fund diversion.

The court noted that the accused was untraceable, his phone switched off, and underlined the “seriousness of allegations” and the “gravity of the crime.”

Alleged Fraudulent Trust and Fund Diversion
According to the order, the probe so far shows Chaitanyananda created a fake trust—Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management Research Foundation Trust—to siphon off property belonging to Sri Sharada Institute of Indian Management Research and the Sri Sharada Peetham of Sringeri.

He allegedly vested a specific plot into this fraudulent trust and sublet it without approval, diverting revenues meant for the institute and the peetham. Investigators say he fabricated AICTE records, ran a Union Bank account under two different names, and withdrew ₹50–55 lakh from a Yes Bank account after the FIR was lodged.

The court also recorded allegations that he forged documents, obtained two passports under different names, and operated multiple bank accounts to misappropriate funds.

Criminal Breach of Trust Added
Police have since invoked Section 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal breach of trust.

The FIR, registered at Vasant Kunj (North) police station, was based on a complaint by P A Murali, the present CEO of the peetham. Murali alleged that audits revealed widespread fraud and misappropriation after he took charge in March 2024.

The peetham, which runs charitable and educational initiatives including an AICTE-approved management institute, accuses Chaitanyananda of changing the fake trust’s name to SRISIIM Research Foundation and using it to unlawfully disburse peetham property.

Separate Sexual Harassment Allegations
The godman also faces a separate case for the alleged sexual harassment of 17 female students of a private management institute in Delhi.