The Karnataka High Court issued stay the investigation and proceedings against Infosys co-founder Senapathy Kris Gopalakrishnan and others under the SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The case involves allegations linked to incidents from 2014. Gopalakrishnan expressed sadness over the misuse of the law for false accusations.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court stayed the investigation and further proceedings against Infosys co-founder and chairman of the Indian Institute of Science governing council, Senapathy Kris Gopalakrishnan, along with 15 others, in a complaint filed under the SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Justice SR Krishna Kumar also ordered an urgent notice to be issued to the complainant, Sanna Durgappa, and to the Seshadripuram ACP.
Gopalakrishnan expressed his shock, stating,
“I’m deeply saddened that a law meant to protect marginalized communities has been misused to make false allegations against me. I have been associated with IISc as chairman of the council since 2022, while the alleged incidents date back to 2014.”
Durgappa, a faculty member from the tribal Bovi community at the Centre for Sustainable Technology at IISc, claimed that in 2014 he was wrongfully implicated in a honey-trap case, which resulted in his dismissal. He also alleged that he faced caste-based abuse during this ordeal.
At the time of the alleged incident, Gopalakrishnan was serving on the governing council of IISc. The complainant, Sanna Durgappa, who belongs to the Bovi community and previously worked as an assistant professor at IISc’s Centre for Sustainable Technology, claimed he was denied funding for a laboratory and a workspace.
Feeling aggrieved, Durgappa had requested financial support for research projects from the authorities at the Institute, specifically for academics from SC/ST communities.
However, he alleged that he was falsely implicated in two cases one involving alleged financial fraud and another concerning sexual harassment leading to his dismissal from IISc.
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Durgappa subsequently requested an investigation by the State Legislative Assembly’s SC/ST committee, which took place in August 2017.
The investigation concluded that there had been no incidents of sexual harassment and that Durgappa had been targeted because of his Dalit status.
Following this, Durgappa approached the court seeking action against the accused.
Senapathy Kris Gopalakrishnan is a co-founder of Infosys and a prominent technology entrepreneur in India. He has played a key role in shaping India’s IT industry and fostering innovation.
Balaram P is a former director of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), known for his contributions to scientific research and academia. He has been instrumental in advancing education and research in India.