Bombay High Court Overturns Sexual Harassment Findings Against HDFC Bank Executive

The court ruled that alleged comments and actions did not meet the criteria for sexual harassment under the POSH Act, citing flawed internal investigations.

The Bombay High Court ruled that Vinod Kachave's remarks and singing a song about a colleague's hair do not constitute sexual harassment under the POSH Act.
The court overturned earlier findings by HDFC Bank's Internal Complaints Committee and the Pune Industrial Court, calling their conclusions 'clearly perverse.'
The complainant alleged the incidents took place in 2022 but filed her complaint only after resigning from the bank.
WhatsApp exchanges between Kachave and the complainant, showing amicable interactions after the alleged incidents, were key in the court's decision.
The ruling highlights issues with the interpretation of intent and perception in workplace harassment cases and the adequacy of internal complaint mechanisms.