A Chennai court, on Saturday, June 3, granted bail to Hari Padman, a senior dancer teacher at Kalakshetra Foundation's Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts (RDCFA), who was accused of sexual harassment. He was arrested by the Adyar All Women Police Station on April 3, on various sexual harassment charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act. Hari Padman was granted bail by IV Metropolitan Magistrate in Saidapet on the condition that he should appear at a police station daily.
In March this year, several allegations of sexual harassment were levelled against four faculty members of the RDCFA, namely Hari Padman, Sanjith Lal, Sai Krishnan, and Sreenath. However, legal action has been taken only against Hari Padman, based on a complaint filed by an alumnus. He has been booked under Sections 354A (sexual harassment) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, and Section 4 (penalty for harassment of woman) of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.
Earlier, on April 11, Hari Padman’s bail petition was dismissed by the IX Metropolitan Magistrate S Mohanambal, who dismissed the bail application after accepting the prosecution’s contention that the investigation was at its early stage.
Meanwhile, the Kalakshetra Foundation dismissed the other three and placed Hari Padman under suspension. In addition to sexual harassment against these faculties, the students also accused the institution of propagating a toxic culture.