The Karnataka High Court has stayed the FIR and any further investigation against the director and seven faculty members of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B) in connection with allegations of caste-based discrimination. This ruling came after the court issued an interim order on December 31, 2024, halting the probe until further orders.
Justice Hemant Chandangoudar, while passing the interim order, noted that the FIR, registered by Bengaluru police on December 20, 2024, would not proceed for now. The accused individuals—director Rishikesha T Krishnan, and faculty members Dinesh Kumar, G Shainesh, Srinivas Prakhya, Sreelata Jonnalagedda, Rahul De, Ashis Mishra, and Chetan Subramanian—will not face further investigation at this stage.
The case stems from a complaint made by an associate professor at IIM-B, who alleged that the accused intentionally revealed his caste identity, subjected him to humiliation, and discriminated against him based on caste. However, the petitioners, represented by Senior Advocates Udaya Holla and K Diwakar, countered these claims, suggesting that the allegations arose only after the complainant’s promotion was denied. The counsel also highlighted that the complainant was facing harassment allegations from students, with a committee finding merit in their claims.
The Court issued notices to both the State and the complainant, seeking responses within two weeks. A detailed order is awaited as the matter continues to unfold.
The stay on the FIR offers temporary relief to the accused as the legal process moves forward.
