Infosys co-founder Senapathy Kris Gopalakrishnan, along with former Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Director Balaram and 16 others, has been booked under the Prevention of SC/ST Atrocities Act. Bengaluru police registered the case on Monday, January 27, following directions from the city’s 71st Civil and Sessions Court.
The case stems from a complaint filed by Durgappa, a former faculty member at IISc’s Centre for Sustainable Technology. Durgappa, who belongs to the tribal Bovi community, alleged he was falsely implicated in a honey trap case in 2014, which led to his dismissal from the institute.
Durgappa accused Gopalakrishnan, a member of IISc’s Board of Trustees, and several other faculty members of orchestrating the alleged wrongful termination. The FIR names prominent academics, including IISc Director Govindan Rangarajan, Sridhar Warrier, and Sandya Vishwswaraih, among others.
Kris Gopalakrishnan, a co-founder of Infosys, served as the company’s CEO from 2007 to 2011 and vice chairman from 2011 to 2014. Awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2011, Gopalakrishnan has also held prestigious roles such as President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and co-chair of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
There has been no official response from Gopalakrishnan or IISc regarding the allegations.
The Case and Legal Implications
Durgappa’s complaint highlights alleged misuse of power by senior academics and administrators at IISc. He claims he was deliberately targeted to undermine his position and credibility. The Prevention of SC/ST Atrocities Act is stringent in dealing with offenses against members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and a conviction can lead to severe penalties, including imprisonment.
The news has sparked significant interest online, with searches for “Kris Gopalakrishnan” surging on Google. States like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Jharkhand saw the highest search volumes.