Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore (IIMB)
Credit: DH File Photo
The Karnataka high court on Tuesday stayed till the next date of hearing the investigation in the crime registered against Director and faculty members of the Indian institute Management, Bangalore (IIMB). Vacation judge Justice Hemant Chandanagoudar ordered notice to the Mico Layout police and Prof Gopal Das, the complainant.
The petition was filed by Prof Rishikesha T Krishnan, the Director of IIMB, Prof Dinesh Kumar, G Shainesh, Srinivas Prakhya, Sreelata Jonnalagadda, Prof Rahul De, Prof Ashis Mishra and Prof Chetan Subramanian, all faculty members.
Prof Gopal Das, who is also a faculty at the IIMB, alleged that the petitioners, Director and other faculty, had revealed about his caste status that he belonged to the Scheduled Caste category. The police had registered an FIR for offences under sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Ordinance, 2014, and Sections 351(2) and 351(3) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
Senior advocate Udaya Holla, appearing for the petitioners, submitted that while the allegation is that the petitioners had revealed the caste status of the complainant, it was stated/revealed by the complainant himself in his Curriculum Vitae (CV). He further stated that the complaint was filed only when the complainant was denied a promotion. The advocate further submitted that there are no allegations that the petitioners had stated anything against the complainant in public view, as contemplated under section 3 of the Atrocities Act.