Parth Srivastava had questions about how his college spent its money. He filed RTIs and posted videos online. For that, he claims, he was suspended. He is now the last of 26 students still suspended at Hansraj College, and his case has reached the Delhi High Court.

Hansraj College suspended the 26 students through four separate notices between April 20 and April 25, citing either of two broad reasons: violence and indiscipline during the annual college fest on April 8, and allegedly defamatory social media posts and acts harmful to the academic environment. The college also filed an FIR against some of the students over violence. 

Twenty-five suspensions have since been revoked. All except Parth’s. He claims he had merely questioned how the college used its funds and its campus, including for the principal’s son’s wedding. 

Before suspensions, an SOP against ‘defamatory content’

Seven students were suspended on April 23, some of them for social media posts called defamatory by the administration. 

One student said they had posted videos questioning the use of college property to organise the wedding of the principal’s son, the administration’s response to student demands, and misogynistic remarks the principal allegedly made to female protesters who were seeking a revision in the fest schedule. In a meeting with the college disciplinary committee, the student claimed their social media clips were shown.

Another student claimed they had merely posted about the wedding and the fest. 

Days before the suspensions and in the wake of a controversy over the use of campus premises for private events, the college had uploaded a Standard Operating Procedure on April 1. It prohibited students from speaking to the media without prior permission, posting defamatory content on social media, and recording meetings or administrative discussions. It cited Ordinance XV(b) of the Delhi University, which deals with the powers of the university and........

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