Mumbai, May 17 (PTI) The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has refused to grant urgent relief to a woman law student suspended, pending enquiry, by her college for writing a social media post against Operation Sindoor.
Justice Rohit Joshi in his May 14 order said prima facie the action taken by Symbiosis Law School here did not seem "punitive", but it was administrative in nature.
The woman, a final year student, was interrogated by police, though not arrested, after she was found in the company of Rajas Madepaddi alias Siddik, an independent journalist and member of Democratic Students Association (DSA), Kerala. Siddik was arrested on May 7 for a critical post about the actions taken by the Indian armed forces to strike terror bases in Pakistan following the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
The woman moved the court last week seeking quashing of her suspension as well as the inquiry initiated by the college against her.
While refusing her immediate relief, the high court noted the institution's assurance that if she was exonerated in the inquiry, a special examination would be held for her later. As per the petitioner, her examination was to start from May 15.
The high court directed the institute to complete the enquiry by May 25 and communicate the decision to the petitioner on the same day.
The petitioner too should cooperate with the enquiry, the HC said, posting the matter for further hearing on May 27.
The high court noted that the petitioner uploaded a post contrary to the official version of the Government of India regarding Operation Sindoor.
"It is well settled that pending enquiry the order of suspension can be passed and power to issue such administrative order for suspension is inherent in a Disciplinary Authority," the HC said.
"The matter is at a very primitive stage. All the facts are yet to come on record. The institution has taken a decision to suspend the petitioner and debar her from appearing in the examinations during the period of suspension," the judge said.
The suspension will operate till the disciplinary enquiry goes on, Justice Joshi noted, adding that the enquiry shall be concluded by May 25.
In the event the petitioner is absolved, a special examination will be conducted for her so that she does not suffer any academic loss, the high court said.
Following the woman's suspension, the college authorities placed her case before the Campus Disciplinary Committee (CDC), which on May 13 continued the suspension. She was debarred from appearing for examinations in the meantime.