Quashing of Sexual Harassment Case Against Businessman 

Ernakulam: On July 23, the Kerala High Court (Justice Jobin Sebastian) officially quashed the criminal proceedings pending before the Additional District and Sessions Court, Ernakulam against businessman Boby Chemmanur in a sexual harassment case registered by a Malayalam film actress. The complaint originated from a showroom inauguration in Alacode, Kannur, where Chemmanur was accused of grabbing the actress’s hand without consent and making unwanted physical contact while putting a necklace on her, followed by making derogatory, sexually colored remarks about her across social media platforms. After Chemmanur was arrested in January 2025 under Section 75 (Sexual Harassment) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, he issued an unconditional public apology online. Following an out-of-court settlement, the actress submitted an affidavit withdrawing her allegations, which led the High Court to grant Chemmanur’s petition (Crl.MC 977/2026) to terminate all legal proceedings once the prosecution confirmed the genuine nature of the settlement. 

Action to be Taken 

Following Boby Chemmanur’s public apology on social media, the complainant submitted a sworn affidavit confirming an out-of-court settlement, prompting the Kerala High Court to stay the trial proceedings and order the Public Prosecutor to verify the affidavit’s voluntariness and check the petitioner’s criminal antecedents. Upon receiving official confirmation from the prosecution that the reconciliation was genuine and without coercion, Justice Jobin Sebastian exercised the Court’s inherent powers on July 23 to allow Chemmanur’s petition (Crl.MC 977/2026) and officially quash all criminal proceedings (SC No. 1154 of 2025) pending before the Additional District and Sessions Court, Ernakulam.

📰 Source: The hindu (English)