Bengaluru Daycare Abuse Case: Police Arrest Whistleblower, Cite Evidence of Involvement

Bengaluru Police have defended the arrest of Sujatha, the whistleblower who first reported the alleged abuse of toddlers at a daycare centre on the Capgemini campus in Brookefield. Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh stated that investigators found enough evidence to name her as an accused, saying she was 'an equal party to the crime'.

Sujatha, a former caregiver at the daycare, was arrested on Saturday, making her the second person held in the case after another caregiver, Vijayalakshmi. The allegations, based on video footage, include claims that children aged two to three were put inside a front-loading washing machine, forced to sit on a western-style toilet, sprayed with water in the mouth using a toilet jet, locked in bathrooms, and threatened.

Addressing criticism over the whistleblower's arrest, Commissioner Singh said the investigation had established that 'something has gone wrong at the daycare centre, 100 per cent', but added that the full extent of abuse was still being verified. He noted lapses in how the matter was reported, including a delay of several days in presenting recorded evidence to authorities, contrary to procedures mandated under child protection laws.

Singh also mentioned that investigators found indications that one of the alleged incidents may have been 'stage-managed', but declined to elaborate as the probe continues. The case has sparked outrage, with the arrest of the whistleblower adding controversy to concerns over child safety and accountability at daycare facilities.