The whistleblower whose videos exposed the horrific abuse of children at the daycare centre inside Capgemini’s Bengaluru campus was allegedly sacked after flagging the issue to her employers, officials investigating the case have found.
The shocking incident came to light after a Child Helpline official received videos documenting the abuse. According to reports, the whistleblower approached Child Helpline officials on June 25 and shared video evidence of the alleged incidents.
The videos reportedly show children as young as two years old being placed inside a front-loading washing machine and sprayed with water from a toilet jet. Other clips allegedly show children being locked inside bathrooms and threatened.
According to Tilakesh Kumar, Legal and Probation Officer with the District Child Protection Unit, when the whistleblower complained to the supervisor about the abuse, no action was taken. Instead, the employee was dismissed from her job.
“This abuse has been happening for a long time. Earlier, someone informed the supervisor, but no action was taken,” Kumar told The Times of India. He added that the employee who complained about the abuse was later dismissed.
Meanwhile, police are currently examining an older CCTV clip that allegedly shows a woman resembling the terminated employee threatening and locking a toddler inside a room. Officials said legal action would also be initiated against her if her involvement is established.
Police said between 50 and 60 children were enrolled at the daycare centre, with around 15 to 20 attending on a daily basis.
Five women employed at the facility—identified as Manjula, Vijayalakshmi, Bhavani, Sindhu and Bindu—have been arrested so far. They have been booked under provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and Section 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with criminal intimidation.
Officials involved in the investigation said the case suggests that the alleged abuse may have continued for a considerable period without intervention.
Police also said the parents of the children, who are employees of Capgemini, appeared to have been completely unaware of the alleged abuse. They said Capgemini employees were not allowed to enter the daycare facility, which may have enabled the incidents to remain hidden.
Capgemini said the daycare centre was operated by a third-party service provider and that it had no direct role in its day-to-day functioning, including the recruitment and management of staff.
In a statement, the company said its “foremost priority is the health, safety and well-being of its employees and their families” and that it was fully cooperating with the authorities. It also announced the temporary closure of the on-campus daycare facility as a precautionary measure while the investigation is underway.