Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Tuesday sought to know if sexual harassment cases can be pursued by "proxy" when the victim says she does not wish to continue with the case.

The query was posed by Justice Shahrukh Kathawalla while hearing an application filed by film director Vikas Bahl, facing accusations of sexual harassment. In the plea, Bahl has sought the high court direction to his former partners and directors Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena to refrain from speaking to the media or posting on social media anything about the case in which a female employee of their production house has alleged she was sexually harassed by Bahl in 2015.

The accuser on Tuesday submitted a statement in the court, saying she does not wish to pursue the case against Bahl, but stands by her allegations against him. Bahl has also filed a defamation suit against the trio and sought Rs 10 crore in damages from them for “ruining” his reputation.

The woman's counsel, Navroz Servai, submitted her statement, saying she stands by her allegations against Bahl, but wants to “forget about the same”. “Although, she does not intend to pursue the allegations, but if she wants to do so in future then statement submitted today cannot be used against her,” Ms Servai told the court.