Kalakshetra row: SHRC too joins investigation bandwagon

CHENNAI: With Chennai Police and Tamil Nadu Commission for Women conducting probes into allegations against teaching faculty at Kalakshetra, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) too has joined the investigation bandwagon.

The commission took suo motu cognizance of media reports and has directed the Director, Investigation division of SHRC to investigate into the matter and file a detailed report within six weeks.

Last Monday, City Police arrested Hari Padman, an assistant professor in Kalakshetra foundation, two days after he was booked on sexual harassment charges based on a complaint by a former student of the institute.

Adyar AWPS (All Women Police Station) had booked a case under Section 354 A (sexual harassment), 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act against Hari Padman. Police had picked up from a hideout near Madhavaram.

The complainant had stated in her complaint that the faculty had sent obscene messages to her through social media and had also sexually harassed her when she was a student at the institution.

On Friday, A S Kumari, Chairperson of Tamil Nadu Commission for Women met the protesting students at the institute and collected their statements. Some of the students showed WhatsApp conversations of the perpetrator crossing the line. It is to be noted that the National Commission for Women (NCW) which initially sought police action based on media reports later withdrew their request to the DGP and decided to 'close the matter'.

Meanwhile, Hari Padman's wife has written to Chennai Police Commissioner seeking a thorough investigation on the 'false' complaint against her husband, on the instigation of two female staff.