HC Jaipur – Civil Writ Petition against Chief Manager Bank of Baroda

The High Court that:

In the present digital world, work place for employees working in the Bank and who have earlier worked in the same Branch and later on shifted to different branches which may be situated in different States has to be treated completely as one work place on a digital platform. Thus, if a person may be posted in Jaipur and acts on a digital platform harassing another lady who may be posted in a different State, it would come within the ambit of being harassed in a common work place. The contention of the counsel for the petitioner, thus on the aforesaid count is rejected.
The second submission of the counsel for the petitioner is that obscene and overt messages alleged to have been sent after the working hours are concerned, suffice it to note that the petitioner was holding the post of Chief Manager and the work timings for officers of senior level cannot be taken into consideration as between 10.30 AM to 4.30 PM alone. That apart knowing fully well that the concerned lady is in employment with the Bank and holding the subordinate post. If messages are sent after working hours, then it would amount to causing harassment and prima facie would come within the meaning of misconduct under the Regulations of 1976.