Nagpur: A junior lawyer has lodged a formal complaint on Wednesday, alleging sexual harassment by a 55-year-old senior lawyer practicing at the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court.
The complaint, filed under Regulation 8 of the ‘Gender Sensitization and Sexual Harassment of Women at the High Court of Bombay (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Regulations, 2014’, accuses the senior lawyer, a member of the High Court Bar Association (HCBA), of inappropriate behaviour.
Gold Rate
18 April 2025
The junior lawyer at the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court filed a formal complaint alleging sexual harassment by a senior lawyer, aged 55. The complaint was addressed to HC Registrar Ravindra Sadrani and submitted as per the provisions of the ‘Gender Sensitization and Sexual Harassment of Women at the High Court of Bombay (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Regulations, 2014’.
The accused lawyer, who is a long-standing member of the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) and has been enrolled as an advocate since March 1999, is named in the complaint. The complainant, previously an intern at the same court from 2017 to 2021, is now a practicing lawyer. The nature of the alleged harassment and details of the incidents have not been disclosed in the available information.
Ravindra Sadrani, the HC Registrar, confirmed receiving the complaint and stated that he has forwarded it to a special panel within the High Court, led by Justice Mukulika Jawalkar and Justice Govinda Sanap. This panel is entrusted with matters related to gender sensitization, sexual harassment, and appropriate action.
In addition to the internal complaint, the junior lawyer has reported the incident to higher authorities. She has lodged the same complaint with the Chairman of the Bar Council of India (BCI), as well as with the Presidents of the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) and Vidarbha Lady Lawyers Association (VLLA).
In response to the allegations, the accused senior lawyer addressed the media, vehemently denying the charges. He attributed the allegations to a conspiracy aimed at tarnishing his reputation. He explained that the underlying issue appeared to revolve around the control of a shared workspace in the High Court. He expressed his readiness to offer an unconditional apology to the complainant and anyone else involved, despite asserting his innocence.
