Kalakshetra Sexual Harassment: Panel Recommends 'Major Punishment' for Padman

The panel said its report contained 'extremely sensitive information', which should be kept confidential.

Kalakshetra professor Hari Padman, who was accused of sexual harassment, was arrested by the Chennai Police on 3 April.

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

The independent enquiry committee, set up to probe the sexual harassment allegations at the Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, has recommended 'major punishment' for Hari Padman, a senior dance teacher and an accused in the matter.

Big points:

• Calling Padman a 'delinquent employee', the enquiry committee on Monday, 7 August, requested the Kalakshetra Foundation Chairperson S Ramadorai to keep the findings of the report confidential.

• But the note said that the part of – which suggests the punishment and recommendations for administrative reforms, could be revealed.

Why confidentiality? The committee added that the report contained 'extremely sensitive information, which if revealed, will invade the privacy of individuals.'

"The concluding part also contains considerable recommendations for reforms in the administrative setup and tune of activities that the institution that will assure safety to students..," the press release said.

Who is in the committee? The enquiry committee was led by Justice (retired) K Kannan, former DGP Letika Saran, and Dr Shobha Varthaman.

Timeline of events:

• 30 March: Students of the Kalakshetra Foundation began an indefinite protest demanding the dismissal of four faculty members.

• Padman, and three others were accused of sexual harassment and abuse on campus.

• 3 April: Padman was arrested by the Chennai Police.

• He was booked under Sections 354A (sexual harassment) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

• Padman was also booked under Section 4 (penalty for harassment of woman) of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.

• 4 June: Padman was released but was placed under suspension pending an enquiry.

The three other faculty members – Sanjith Lal, Sai Krishnan, and Sreenath – were dismissed from service, but no legal action was taken against them.