BALDEV RAJ Vs. REGISTRAR, PANJAB UNIVERSITY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Students of M.A. 2nd year, Indian Theatre, the petitioners herein have challenged the order of their expulsion from the department as also the hostel vide the impugned order (Annexure P-1) passed by the Department of Indian Theatre, Panjab University, Chandigarh.

(2.) The petition proceeds on certain admitted facts. The petitioners are the students of M.A. 2nd year, Indian Theatre in Panjab University, Chandigarh. These petitioners are also allotted accommodation in the Hostel No. 2. On fresh admissions being made to M.A. 1st year in the same discipline i.e. Indian Theatre, some freshers were also staying in the same hostel. Three students of M.A. 1st year, Indian Theatre namely Manish Kumar, Pankaj and Kailash were summoned by the petitioners and some passed out students of the same discipline to Room No. 5/38 in Hostel No. 2 allotted to one Gurcharan Singh, an M.A. 2nd year student i.e petitioner No. 4, where the petitioners and some passed out students were present in inebriated condition. After the introduction, the freshers were forced to put off their clothes and they were asked to perform objectionable activities i.e. some obscene sexual acts. They were photographed naked with the mobile phone. The freshers named above lodged a complaint with the university authorities on the following day i.e. 10.8.2008 narrating the incident of ragging and also apprehended danger to them. They also named the petitioners and some passed out students who indulged in ragging these freshers. On the receipt of the complaint, the Vice Chancellor of the university constituted an Anti Ragging Committee to probe into allegations of ragging. The Committee after listening to the complainants and the petitioners recorded its findings and made recommendations to the university vide its report dated 30.7.2008 (Annexure R-2). Based upon the recommendations of the Committee the petitioners have been expelled vide the impugned order (Annexure P-1).

(3.) It appears that the petitioners managed a letter dated 11.8.2008 from the victims of ragging for withdrawal of the complaint against them, which was submitted to the Dean, Students Welfare, Panjab University, Chandigarh by the complainants, a copy whereof has been placed on record as Annexure P-2. Even the petitioners herein vide their separate request dated 11.8.2008 submitted their apology and undertook not to indulge in such activities in future. A copy of the apology tendered to the Dean of the university is placed on record as Annexure R-3.