The Karnataka High Court has issued a stay on both the investigation and court proceedings in an SC/ST atrocities case against Infosys co-founder Senapathy Kris Gopalakrishnan and 15 others. The decision, rendered by Justice S R Krishna Kumar on Wednesday, pauses a case that has drawn significant public attention.
The court’s order came after reviewing an application which included a memorandum of facts, leading to the stay of proceedings in crime number 17/2025 at the Sadashivanagara police station and PCR Number 1/2025 at the LXX Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge and Special Judge in Bengaluru. The stay will remain in effect until the next scheduled hearing.
The case against Gopalakrishnan and 17 faculty members was initiated following allegations by a former professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Sanna Durgappa. Durgappa, who belongs to the tribal Bovi community, claimed that he was subjected to a fake honey trap case and faced casteist abuse over a decade from 2010 to 2020.
In response to the allegations and the court’s recent decision, Gopalakrishnan expressed his disappointment over the misuse of a law designed to protect marginalized communities. “I have always believed in fairness, justice, and treating everyone with respect, regardless of their background,” Gopalakrishnan stated, underscoring his long-standing commitment to equitable treatment.
He also noted his role as Chairman of the Council at IISc since 2022, pointing out that the alleged incidents occurred long before his tenure, specifically dating back to 2014. Gopalakrishnan emphasized that the IISc maintains robust policies for conducting fair and transparent investigations, managed by its executive leadership.
Following the High Court’s intervention, Gopalakrishnan affirmed his confidence in the judicial system, asserting, “Yesterday, the Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka stayed all further investigation and proceedings under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against me and others. As the matter is before the Courts, I will not comment further. I have full faith in the judiciary and trust that justice will prevail.”
