The Delhi High Court on Thursday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought investigations into alleged sexual harassment within the Indian film industry, citing the absence of specific complaints from aggrieved individuals. The bench, composed of Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, emphasized that the court cannot mandate a broad and indiscriminate inquiry based on generalized allegations.
The petitioner, Ajeesh Kalathil Gopi, based his claims on the findings of the Justice Hema Committee, which investigated similar allegations in the Malayalam film industry. Gopi urged the National Commission for Women to extend these inquiries to the broader Indian film industry, alleging widespread violations of fundamental and human rights.
However, the court clarified its position, stating, “We will examine when there is a complaint. Your petition is structured on the report of Justice Hema Committee which is being looked into by another court,” hence refusing to direct any extensive inquiry without concrete evidence or specific instances of harassment.
Justice Bakhru pointed out that the petition lacked empirical data and was largely speculative. He noted that while the issues raised by the Justice Hema Committee are serious, actions based on its report are already underway, and the judiciary must focus on specific allegations with available remedies.
