Calcutta High Court Declines To Interfere With Preliminary Report Against SRFTI Dean Filmmaker Vipin Vijay Over POSH Allegations

The Calcutta High Court has declined to interfere with a preliminary report by the Internal Committee (IC) of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) against Dean and Filmmaker Vipin Vijay who had been accused of sexual harassment.

In declining a plea by Vijay seeking quashing of the report, Justice Kausik Chanda held: "I am not inclined to interfere with the preliminary report at this stage, as the findings of the report are tentative in nature. I do, however, clarify that prior to the filing of the final report, the Committee must provide the petitioner with the opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses."

The court also clarified that the Institute shall refrain from taking any coercive measures against the petitioner based on the preliminary report. It also directed the committee to conclude their proceedings within six months.

Vijay had approached the High Court challenging the report of the committee stating that the findings of the Committee exceeded the scope of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013. Furthermore, the petitioner asserts that in reaching its findings, the Committee examined 29 witnesses without providing the petitioner an opportunity to cross-examine them.

Counsel representing the Internal Committee contended that while the petitioner claims that no opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses was provided, the petitioner did not avail themselves of this opportunity.

Accordingly, with the aforesaid directions, the Court disposed of the plea.

Case: Vipin Vijay -vs- Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) & Ors.

Case No: WPA 28334 of 2024

Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Cal) 287

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