Infosys co-founder, ex-IISc director among 18 booked under SC/ST Atrocities Act in Bengaluru

A case has been filed against Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan, former Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Director Balaram P, and 16 other individuals under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in Bengaluru. The case was registered at the Sadashiva Nagar police station following directions from the 71st City Civil and Sessions Court. The complaint was lodged by Sanna Durgappa, a former assistant professor at the Centre for Sustainable Technology at IISc, who belongs to the Bovi tribal community.

Durgappa alleges that in 2014, he was falsely implicated in a honey trap case, which led to his dismissal from IISc. He claims that his dismissal was a result of caste-based abuse and threats. Gopalakrishnan, a member of the IISc Board of Trustees, is named among the accused. The 16 other individuals include prominent figures such as Govindan Rangarajan, Sridhar Warrier, Sandya Vishwswaraih, Hari KVS, and Pradeep D Sawkar.

The core of the allegations revolves around an incident in 2014 where Durgappa was accused of calling a married woman “beautiful.” Following the complaint, the IISc’s Sexual Harassment Complaints Committee (SHCC) ruled that the remark amounted to sexual harassment. As a result, Durgappa was dismissed from his position at IISc. However, Durgappa disputes the committee’s findings, arguing that the process did not adhere to the Supreme Court’s guidelines, which require an NGO representative to be included in the SHCC.

Durgappa further claims that he was targeted due to his caste. In 2017, he filed a petition with the Karnataka Legislative Assembly SC/ST Committee, requesting an investigation into his dismissal. The investigation report, issued in September 2017, found no evidence of sexual harassment. The report concluded that Durgappa was singled out because of his Dalit identity and suggested that the charges against him were fabricated. Despite this, Durgappa was not reinstated.

In addition to the caste-based discrimination claims, Durgappa asserts that his efforts to seek reinstatement were met with resistance from IISc. He claims to have filed review petitions in 2017 and 2020 to appeal his dismissal but received no response. He also alleges that during this process, he faced threats, including potential police complaints, which prevented him from continuing his legal pursuit.

The case now involves an investigation by the Bengaluru police, following the court’s instructions. Durgappa’s complaint has sparked legal proceedings under the SC/ST Act, and the authorities are examining the claims made by the complainant. There has been no immediate response from Gopalakrishnan, Balaram, or IISc faculty regarding the allegations. The investigation is ongoing, and further legal action will follow based on the findings.