Infosys Co-Founder Kris Gopalakrishnan Named Among 18 Accused Under SC/ST Act

Bengaluru: Infosys co-founder Senapathy Kris Gopalakrishnan, along with former IISc Director Professor Balaram and 16 others, has been named in a case registered under the Prevention of Atrocities Against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Act.

The Sadashiva Nagar police station filed the case following instructions from the 71st City Civil and Sessions Court (CCH) in Bengaluru.

The complaint was lodged by Durgappa, a former faculty member at the Centre for Sustainable Technology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc). Durgappa, who belongs to the tribal Bovi community, alleged that he was falsely implicated in a honey trap case in 2014, which led to his dismissal from IISc.

In his complaint, Durgappa claimed that he faced caste-based discrimination and threats during his tenure. He accused the individuals, including several IISc officials, of subjecting him to casteist abuse.

The list of accused comprises prominent individuals, including Govindan Rangarajan, Sridhar Warrier, Sandya Vishwswaraih, Hari KVS, Dasappa, Hemalata Mhishi, Chattopadyaya K, Pradeep D Sawkar, and Manoharan.

At the time of reporting, neither Kris Gopalakrishnan, who serves as a member of IISc's Board of Trustees, nor the IISc faculty had issued any statements in response to the allegations.

The case, which has resurfaced after years of legal battles, is expected to attract significant attention given the involvement of high-profile individuals from academic and corporate sectors.