Bombay High Court rules that staring at a colleague, though inappropriate, does not meet the legal definition of voyeurism.
April 11, 2026: The Bombay High Court has ruled that staring at a woman colleague’s body, while unethical, does not constitute the criminal offence of voyeurism under Indian law. Justice Amit Borkar clarified that such behaviour, though morally questionable, does not meet the criteria laid out under Section 354C IPC.
The court explained that voyeurism involves acts such as watching, capturing, or sharing images of a woman engaged in a private act where she has a reasonable expectation of privacy. This includes situations like using a lavatory or engaging in intimate acts not meant for public view. It noted that merely staring at someone in a workplace setting does not fall within this legal definition and cannot be stretched to fit the provision.
Based on this interpretation, the High Court quashed an FIR filed against an insurance company executive. The allegations stemmed from claims of inappropriate behaviour during office meetings, but the company’s Internal Complaints Committee had already cleared the accused. The court emphasized that criminal law must be applied strictly as defined and cannot be expanded beyond its intended scope.