KEM Hospital Professor Found Guilty of Sexual Harassment by BMC’s POSH Committee

Mumbai’s civic-run KEM Hospital is at the center of a sexual harassment case after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) committee found Dr. Ravindra Deokar, a professor in forensic medicine and toxicology department, guilty of misconduct.

The inquiry followed complaints from six women including doctors, assistant professors, students and clerks who alleged repeated harassment and inappropriate touch. According to reports, the complaints described a pattern of abusive conduct, creating a hostile work environment for the complainants. The women approached the POSH committee in April 2025, and after a detailed probe, the committee concluded that Dr. Deokar had violated workplace conduct rules.

Following the committee’s findings, BMC has recommended him to be transferred from his teaching post to a non-teaching role and asked him to vacate from the academic residence. Officials stated this was an interim step while the disciplinary process continues.

The matter has also moved into the legal domain. Dr. Deokar had applied for anticipatory bail after the filing of a police case in April. However, Mumbai court rejected his plea, citing the seriousness of the allegations and the need for a thorough investigation. This means that he can now be arrested if the police proceed further.

Several complainants stated that Dr. Ravindra Deokar threatened women doctors with academic repercussions, including failing them in examinations, if they reported his behaviour, leading some victims to delay filing complaints until after completing their courses.

The case has raised important concerns about workplace safety in public hospitals, particularly for young resident doctors and postgraduate trainees. Legal experts note that the POSH Act, 2013, mandates internal committees to address such cases promptly and sensitively, but implementation often faces challenges in large institutions.

Medical associations have urged strict enforcement of anti-harassment policies and called for accountability mechanisms in teaching hospitals. They emphasize that beyond disciplinary measures against the accused, institutional reforms are necessary to ensure safer workplaces for women in medicine.

The outcome of this case is expected to set a precedent for handling sexual harassment complaints in Mumbai’s civic hospitals. For now, the complainants have expressed cautious relief after the POSH committee’s ruling, while the final decision on punitive measures rests with the BMC’s higher authorities.

(Rh/Eth/TL/MSM)