Accused ‘monk’ held multiple identities over decades: Police

Swami Chaintanyanada Saraswati has lived under multiple identities for decades, police investigations have revealed.

- Jignasa Sinha

The 62-year-old former chairman of a management institute in Delhi's Vasant Kunj accused of molesting 17 students and initially identified as Swami Chaintanyanada Saraswati, lived under multiple identities for decades while working with prominent religious organisations, the investigation has revealed.

Police said they have seized some documents and are trying to establish details of his name (at time of birth), father’s name and place of birth, even as his arrest on Sunday ended a two-month-long manhunt.

According to investigators, Saraswati was born as Rudra Parthasarthy in Siliguri, West Bengal. Over the years, he dropped “Rudra” and began presenting himself as Dr Swami Parthasarthy before finally styling himself as Swami Chaintanyanada Saraswati.