HC revokes suspension of PhD scholar from IIT-B

The student was suspended on April 28 until December 31, for allegedly giving unauthorised interviews to the media.

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court (HC) recently revoked the suspension of Akshay Sawant, a PhD scholar from the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. The student was suspended on April 28 until December 31, for allegedly giving unauthorised interviews to the media.

IITB (HT PHOTO)

On July 15, the division bench of Justice NR Borkar and Justice M S Karnik noted that the student had made those statements in individual capacity and not as an authoritative representative of the institute. The court directed IIT-B to cease the suspension from July 25, the start of the new academic year. The court added that the period of suspension undergone by the petitioner will not be treated as stigmatising or have a bearing on the petitioner’s record.

Sawant’s suspension followed a media article dated February 19 in which he was quoted as saying, “Every festival is celebrated on our campus. There are several Hindu festivals and most of them including Holi, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, are celebrated with much fervour. The allegations are baseless and merely an attempt to target the department’s liberal environment.” The disciplinary action committee met on April 3, where the student clarified, “I have already stated in the meeting, I wish to inform you that I did not consent to any media personnel or provide any statements for quotation. Media personnel have reported on me without my consent and have misquoted my words.”

The order further reads that the statements referred to in the article were made in Sawant’s individual capacity. The judgment ended by saying, “This order is passed in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case so that the academic career of the petitioner should not be jeopardised.”

Following the judgement, Ambedkar Phule Periyar Study Circle (APPSC), a student organisation on campus where Sawant was active, issued a statement calling the revocation of his suspension a victory for students’ rights and a pushback against the casteist and authoritarian tendencies of the IIT Bombay administration. “The decision went beyond the scope of the fact-finding process initiated by the disciplinary committee. IIT Bombay has now been compelled to reinstate him from July 25 as the suspension will cease to have effect from the said date.”

The statement further stated that APPSC, along with concerned students, faculty, and community members of IIT Bombay, condemn the actions of the administration in this case and beyond. APPSC has demanded that the interim guidelines be withdrawn immediately and that all arbitrary disciplinary actions against dissenting students be reviewed and reversed. “IIT Bombay must ensure academic freedom, democratic engagement, and the rights of marginalised voices on campus,” the statement read.

IIT-B officials said that they will follow the court’s orders.