Produce Aus-based complainant virtually, High Court tells CB-CID

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the CB-CID to produce the alleged survivor in the Siva Shankar Baba sexual harassment case through video conferencing.

Siva Shankar Baba moved the High Court seeking a direction to to quash one of the cases filed against him. When the petition came up for hearing before Justice V Sivagnanam, the counsel appearing for him questioned the bona fide of the complainant noting that she registered the complaint in 2021 though the alleged sexual harassment happened in 2007.

According to him, they have not seen the alleged survivor who is now in Australia and sought a stay on the investigation till them. However, the court refused to grant stay as the petitioner sought and directed the CB-CID to make arrangements for the complainant to appear through video conferencing, as the court wanted to ascertain the credentials of the person. The judge posted the matter to September 15 for further hearing.

In 2021, a series of sexual harassment complaints were registered by the students of Sushil Hari International Residential School, Kelambakkam, against CN Siva Shankaran alias Siva Shankar Baba, a self-styled godman and founder of the school.