The state of Karnataka is looking into claims that a coffee plantation owner locked 14 female workers on his property for failing to repay loans.
In the southern state of Karnataka on Monday, Jagadeesha Gowda and his son allegedly imprisoned the Dalit (formerly untouchables) labourers for three hours.
Authorities are also looking into allegations that one of the women miscarried after being attacked.
The claims have been refuted by Mr. Gowda.
Despite filing a case against him and his son, police have not yet made any arrests.
Despite laws intended to protect them, Dalits in India experience pervasive persecution since they are at the bottom of the Hindu caste system.
According to the police, two labourers, a man and a woman, started fighting after residing on the estate in the Chikkamagaluru area for three months.
All the female employees attempted to leave in protest after Mr. Gowda intervened and reportedly ‘abused and battered’ the woman, they added.
However, Mr. Gowda allegedly forbade them from doing so and demanded that they pay back a loan of 900,000 rupees ($10,936; £9,932) right once.
Police claim that Mr. Gowda assaulted some of the women and stole some of their cell phones after the men on the farm went to arrange for the money.
Then, between 9am and 12pm, he is said to have locked them up in their home, Chikkamagaluru police officer Uma Prashanth told BBC Hindi.
Mr. Prashanth said, officials have also requested one of the employees’ medical records in order to clarify whether or not she had a miscarriage.
Under the terms of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, a case has been filed against Mr. Gowda and his son for ‘causing injury’ and ‘wrongful imprisonment.’
Some news sources informs that, Mr. Gowda is a member of the state’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but the party has distanced itself from him.
Varasiddhi Venugopal, a party spokesperson, told the news outlet NDTV that Mr. Gowda was ‘simply a BJP supporter, like any other voter.’
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