The Madras High Court has adjourned the bail plea of Bharatanatyam dancer and former Kalakshetra faculty member Sheejith Krishna, who is facing charges of sexual harassment lodged by his former students. The vacation bench of Justice R Sakthivel took up the plea for hearing, with Senior Counsel R John Sathyan representing Krishna.During the hearing, Krishna’s counsel argued that the alleged offenses occurred over two decades ago, and the complainant, now residing abroad, was accusing his client without any substantial evidence. The defense emphasized the significant time lapse and questioned the credibility of the accusations.
In response, the counsel for the complainant opposed the bail petition, asserting that granting bail to Krishna would discourage other victims from coming forward with their complaints. This point underscored the potential impact of the court’s decision on future cases and the willingness of other victims to report similar offenses.
After considering the submissions from both sides, Justice Sakthivel postponed the matter to May 22 for further deliberations.
The case against Sheejith Krishna stems from complaints filed by two former students of Kalakshetra, who studied at the institution in 1995 and 2007. They have accused Krishna of sexually harassing them multiple times during their time at the academy. Following these complaints, the Neelankarai All Women Police registered a case and arrested Krishna on April 22.
The adjournment allows for additional arguments and submissions to be presented before a final decision on the bail plea is made. This case continues to draw significant attention, highlighting ongoing concerns about sexual harassment within educational and cultural institutions.