The Bombay High Court’s Nagpur Bench has refused to grant interim relief to a final-year Symbiosis Law School student suspended over a social media post allegedly critical of “Operation Sindoor,” a military initiative by the Indian government. The Court observed that the suspension was prima facie administrative, not punitive, and subject to the outcome of a pending disciplinary enquiry.
Justice Rohit W Joshi, in an order dated May 14, emphasized that since the institution had committed to conducting special examinations in case the student is exonerated, no irreversible academic harm would be caused. “The suspension does not amount to punishment in itself, and the process is still in the early stages,” the Court remarked.
The student was suspended on May 10 by the law school director, barring her from all academic and extracurricular activities pending enquiry. On May 13, the Campus Disciplinary Committee upheld this order, clarifying that she would not be allowed to appear for internal assessments or end-semester exams during the suspension. However, it assured that special exams would be organized if she is cleared of wrongdoing.
The disciplinary action was initiated following a series of politically sensitive posts on the student’s Instagram handle, one of which allegedly contradicted the government’s narrative on Operation Sindoor. Although a separate FIR had been registered on May 8 against one Rajas Madepaddi alias Siddik, with whom the student was found at the time of his arrest in Nagpur, the college order did not cite this incident as the basis for suspension.
Arguing against the suspension, the student’s counsel claimed it amounted to punishment without a completed enquiry, thereby violating the Symbiosis Code of Conduct, 2023, which only permits punitive measures post-investigation.
The law school, represented by its counsel, countered that the suspension was purely procedural, meant to facilitate the enquiry, which is to conclude by May 25.
Considering the institutional assurances and the early stage of the matter, the Court deferred any relief and listed the case for hearing on May 27. The student has been directed to cooperate fully with the ongoing proceedings.
