Kris Gopalakrishnan Asserts Faith in Judiciary Amid Legal Challenges
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Synopsis
Kris Gopalakrishnan, co-founder of Infosys, remains confident in the judiciary's ability to deliver justice amid legal challenges from a former IISc professor. The Karnataka High Court has temporarily halted investigations against him and others, amid allegations of misuse of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Key Takeaways
- Kris Gopalakrishnan maintains faith in the judiciary amidst legal challenges.
- The Karnataka High Court has stayed investigations related to the case.
- Gopalakrishnan criticizes the misuse of laws designed for marginalized communities.
- Allegations date back to 2014, with Gopalakrishnan serving as IISc Council Chairman since 2022.
- Serious accusations and implications for several IISc faculty members are present.
Bengaluru, Jan 30 (NationPress) Infosys co-founder and IISc Council Chairman Kris Gopalakrishnan expressed on Thursday his unwavering belief in the judiciary and his expectation that justice will ultimately be served following a case filed against him and 17 others by a former professor of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Regarding the active legal proceedings, Gopalakrishnan noted on January 29 that the Karnataka High Court has halted all further investigations and actions regarding the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against him and others.
“Since the matter is currently before the court, I will refrain from further comments. I have complete faith in the judiciary and believe that justice will prevail,” stated Gopalakrishnan.
He also expressed his deep concern that a law intended to safeguard marginalized communities has been misused to issue false claims against him.
“I have always stood for fairness, justice, and treating everyone with dignity, irrespective of their background. It is disheartening that a law designed to protect marginalized groups has been exploited to level false accusations against me,” he remarked.
He highlighted his role as Chairman of the Council at IISc since 2022, while the alleged incidents trace back to 2014.
Gopalakrishnan noted that IISc has established policies for fair and transparent investigations, adhering to the executive management's responsibilities.
Along with 17 faculty members, Kris Gopalakrishnan was charged under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act following allegations made by a former professor, concerning events from 2010 to 2020. The case is currently being reviewed by the Karnataka High Court.
The FIR was initiated by the Sadashivanagar police following directives from the 71st City Civil and Sessions Court in Bengaluru. The complaint was lodged by D. Sanna Durgappa, a former professor at the Centre for Sustainable Technologies, IISc.
The case implicates Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan, along with Govindan Rangarajan, Sridhan Warrior, Anil Kumar, Namrata Gundaiah, Nirmala, Sandhya Vishwanath, Dishika Chakravarthy, Hari K.V.S., Dasappa, Balaram P., Balachandra P., Hemalatha Mhisi, Anjali A. Karande, Chattopadhyaya K., Pradeep S. Sawkar, Abhilash Raju, and Manoharan, all affiliated with IISc.
The police have cited various sections of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
In his complaint, Durgappa claimed he was falsely implicated in a fabricated honey trap incident, resulting in his dismissal from IISc in 2014. He further alleged that the accused conspired to commit atrocities against him and insulted him based on his caste from 2008 to 2025.
Durgappa stated that the IISc Director had promised to reinstate him, but this commitment remains unfulfilled. He also accused the defendants of causing irreparable harm to his reputation, making it difficult for him to find employment across the country.
He reported further harassment, including threats from “hired rowdies” when pursuing justice.
Durgappa mentioned that the woman linked to the alleged honey trap has since left the institution, yet IISc has not revisited his reinstatement. He claimed that inquiries to the Union Minister for Education yielded misleading replies.
Furthermore, Durgappa highlighted that although nearly 30 sexual harassment cases have been reported at IISc, none of the implicated individuals have been dismissed.
He alleged misappropriation of approximately Rs 2,500 crore in SCSP and TSP funds (designated for the welfare of SCs and STs) at IISc. Additionally, he claimed that the IISc Director secured stay orders from the court 15 times and allegedly threatened him with the possibility of judges being implicated to ensure a favorable ruling.
The High Court bench, led by Justice S.R. Krishnakumar, has issued an urgent notice to the first respondent, Dr. D. Sanna Durgappa, in this matter.
The bench instructed the filing of objections and stated in the order: “In the meantime, all further proceedings/investigation in the case and all additional proceedings in the PCR, concerning the petitioners, are hereby stayed until the next hearing date.”
