Kris Gopalakrishnan Faces FIR: Infosys Co-Founder Among 18 Accused Under SC/ST Act

Kris Gopalakrishnan Faces FIR: Infosys Co-Founder Among 18 Accused Under SC/ST Act

Kris Gopalakrishnan Faces FIR: Infosys Co-Founder Among 18 Accused Under SC/ST Act

Bengaluru: A case has been registered against Infosys co-founder Senapathy Kris Gopalakrishnan, former Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Director P. Balaram, and 16 others under the Prevention of Atrocities Against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act. The case was filed following the directive of the 71st City Civil and Sessions Court (CCH) and is currently being investigated by the Sadashiva Nagar police.

Durgappa, a Bovi tribal member and former faculty at the IISc’s Centre for Sustainable Technology, has accused some people of falsely implicating him in a honey trap case in 2014, from which he was dismissed by the institute. In his complaint, he further made allegations that such people were subjecting him to caste-based abuse and threats during his tenure there.

Apart from Kris Gopalakrishnan and P. Balaram, the list of accused also includes Govindan Rangarajan, Sridhar Warrier, Sandya Vishwswaraih, Hari K.V.S., Dasappa, Hemalata Mhishi, Chattopadyaya K., Pradeep D. Sawkar, Manoharan, and several others associated with the institution.

Durgappa said that the persecution against him started in 2014, when he was allegedly framed in a fabricated case, to damage his reputation and get him to relinquish his position. According to his claim, his dismissal from service was not only unjust but had deep roots of caste-based discrimination and institutional prejudice.

After examining the complaint, the court directed the police to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) and carry out an investigation. Kris Gopalakrishnan is currently a member of the Board of Trustees in IISc. Officials in IISc could not be reached for an immediate comment on the matter. The charges made have questioned the exercise of power and caste abuse in some prestigious institutions.

The police assured that a deep investigation into the matter will take place, and all the accused will be given their chance to present in the court procedures. The case is to judge issues of systemic discrimination and workplace misconduct in areas such as academia and corporate circles.

This development has attracted attention across various sectors, with activists and legal experts focusing on the need to address caste-based prejudices in institutions. Meanwhile, the accused parties are expected to issue statements or take legal recourse in response to the allegations.