The whistleblower who brought the child abuse at Bengaluru’s Capgemini daycare to light has been arrested over accusations that she also mistreated children. Child protection officials say prosecuting the whistleblower risks discouraging others from reporting abuse.
Bengaluru’s HAL police have arrested the whistleblower who exposed child abuse at the Little Scholars daycare centre operating inside the Capgemini campus in Brookefield. Police have accused the former nanny, Sujatha, of abusing children herself, including allegedly locking toddlers inside the crèche bathroom and recording videos of them in distress. The arrest has, however, sparked concern among child protection officials, who fear it could discourage future whistleblowers.
According to investigators, 45-year-old Sujatha, a resident of Kolar, was employed at the daycare when the alleged abuse took place. During her tenure, she allegedly recorded videos showing caregivers physically assaulting children. She was later dismissed from her job.
Police said Sujatha subsequently shared the videos with a male friend, who forwarded them via WhatsApp to the Child Helpline, triggering an investigation into the daycare.
A court has remanded Sujatha to 14 days of judicial custody. She is the second person to be arrested in the case after another nanny Vijayalakshmi, who was earlier taken into custody.
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