Mere Touching of Hand Does Not Amount to ‘Criminal Force’; Sexual Harassment Case Against IIT Professor Quashed: Gauhati High Court

The Gauhati High Court has quashed the criminal proceedings against Dr. Vimal Katiyar, an IIT Professor, in a case alleging sexual harassment. The allegations arose when a woman approached him seeking mentorship for her startup, and it was claimed that he had touched her hands. The Court, presided over by Justice Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, observed that mere touching of hands does not satisfy the legal definition of “force” as required…