The Greater Chennai Police (GCP) on Monday arrested Sheejith Krishna, 51, former teaching faculty of Kalakshetra Foundation, on the charges of committing sexual offences based on complaints made by two female students.
Sheejith Krishna studied, and then taught dance at Kalakshetra Foundation for 21 years (1989-2010). The police said that based on the directions of the Madras High Court, a preliminary inquiry was conducted into a complaint from two women alleging that the former faculty member had sexually assaulted them when they were students on the Thiruvanmiyur campus between 1995 and 2007.
Subsequently, in February, a case was registered against Sheejith Krishna at the Neelankarai all-women police station (AWPS). The allegations include rape on the false promise to marry and other sexual offences. The police also recorded the statements of the affected students.
A police team, led by the inspector of police, Neelankarai AWPS, conducted a thorough probe and arrested Sheejith Krishna. He was produced before the court concerned and remanded in judicial custody.
It may be recalled that in 2023, the all-women police registered a case following a complaint from a lone woman student, who studied at Kalakshetra between 2015-19, and discontinued her studies due to harassment.
Hari Padman’s case
The case was booked against Hari Padman, another faculty of the foundation, under Sections 354-A (Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act. He was arrested and later released on bail after months.
On March 30, 2023 the sprawling campus witnessed spontaneous protests by students, demanding the immediate rustication of Hari Padman and three others.
