Bengaluru daycare case whistleblower staged the abuse videos, say cops

The case of alleged abuse of toddlers at a daycare centre inside Capgemini's Bengaluru campus has taken a new turn with the arrest of Sujata, initially seen as the whistleblower, who has now been named the sixth accused. Police stated that Sujata not only circulated the viral videos that brought the case to light but also staged one of the clips by locking a toddler inside a washroom.

The allegations emerged last week after videos from the on-campus crèche appeared online. The footage purportedly showed toddlers being forced into the drum of a front-loading washing machine, sprayed with water using a bidet, locked inside bathrooms for crying, made to sit on Western-style commodes, and threatened to remain silent. The videos sparked outrage and led to an FIR against five women linked to the facility. The matter has also reached the National Human Rights Commission and the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

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Investigators said Sujata was arrested on July 3 after questioning. She admitted to recording one of the viral videos and to locking a toddler inside a washroom. Police alleged that this act was motivated by a personal dispute with her supervisor, Manjula, the prime accused who remains absconding, over workplace and salary issues. 

Sujata reportedly recorded two other videos showing caregivers allegedly mistreating children and forwarded all three clips to a man named Gowtham, who is accused of circulating them. She was named as an accused based on her statement and digital evidence collected during the investigation.

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Police had earlier arrested 55-year-old Vijayalakshmi on July 2. Inspector Suresh Reddy said she was produced before a court and remanded to three-day police custody on Friday. Manjula is still absconding, and police teams are making efforts to arrest her. The three other staff members named in the FIR registered on July 2 were released after questioning as the evidence did not implicate them.

Investigators said the inquiry suggested the clips attached to the complaint were recorded by a former employee who left the daycare shortly before the videos surfaced online. A senior police officer said the police were verifying the origin of the videos, when they were recorded, and the circumstances of their release. All aspects are under investigation.

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Following the allegations, Capgemini temporarily shut the facility and stated that the health, safety, and wellbeing of employees and their families remain its top priority. The company said it was fully cooperating with the investigation. A petition has brought the matter before the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, which is expected to seek a detailed report from the authorities and examine the allegations independently.

The National Human Rights Commission also took suo motu cognisance of the allegations of cruelty towards toddlers at the crèche, and issued notices to the Karnataka chief secretary and the director general of police, seeking a detailed report within two weeks.