Overview
- 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.