Chennai: The Madras High Court quashed First Information Report (FIR) against CN Siva Shankar Baba, a self-styled godman, on Tuesday. The FIR was registered based on the complaint of a single mother of a former student of the school run by the godman who alleged that the godman misbehaved with her at the school.
According to a report on New Indian Express, the HC nixed the FIR due to the delay in lodging the complaint and for failing to condone the delay under Section 474 0f CrPC.
In 2021, a woman gave a complaint against Siva Sankar Baba stating that she was sexually harassed by him in 2010-11. She said that the crime took place while she visited the school since his son was removed from the school.
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The woman opened up about the harassment while several minors and former students of the school came out alleging child-sexual abuse by the baba. Based on the complaint of the woman, the police lodged under Section 354 IPC and Section 4 of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act, 2002.
“Though the allegation made by the second respondent (the woman) is serious in nature, because of the absence of any petition under Section 473 CrPC to condone the delay, filed along with the complaint, the case becomes barred by limitation,” Justice Manjula said, as per a report on The New Indian Express.
Meanwhile, Siva Sankar Baba of Sushil Hari International School was arrested in June 2021 after many complaints were registered against him. The case was also transferred to CB-CID for inquiry.
In August 2021, Siva Sankar Baba moved a bail petition but the court denied bail to the self-styled godman.
In April 2022, Siva Sankar Baba accused of child sexual abuse received bail citing health issues including cardiac issues.