Jyotiraditya Jagdish Bodke And ANR v. Coep Technological University And ANR
1 Order-WP 6602-25.doc
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CIVIL WRIT PETITION NO.6602 OF 2025 Jyotiraditya Jagdish Bodke & Anr.
... Petitioners Vs.
COEP Technological University & Anr.
... Respondents ----- Adv. Anandmaya Dhorde for the Petitioners.
Adv. Ashutosh Kulkarni a/w Gaurav Sharma for Respondent No.1. Mr. N. C. Walimbe, Addl. GP a/w V. G. Badgujar, AGP for the RespondentState. ----- CORAM :
M.S. KARNIK & N.R. BORKAR, JJ.
Digitally signed by MUGDHA MANOJ PARANJAPE Date:
2025.08.11 11:11:37 +0530 MUGDHA MANOJ PARANJAPE DATE :
04TH AUGUST 2025 ORDER : (PER N.R. BORKAR, J.) 1.
The Petitioners, who are the students of first year Engineering Course at Respondent No.1-COEP Technological University, Pune, have filed this Petition seeking to quash and set aside the office order dated 8th April 2025 passed by Respondent No.1.
2.
The brief facts giving rise to the present Petition are that on 19th March 2025, an incident of vandalism in the H-block hostel premises was reported by the Senior Rector of the hostel vide report dated 25th March 2025. Consequently, an internal Enquiry Committee was constituted by
2 Order-WP 6602-25.doc Respondent No.1 to inquire into the said incident. The Enquiry Committee presented its report dated 29th March 2025. The Petitioners alongwith another student Asif Khan were found to be guilty of misconduct, i.e., causing damage to the Wi-fi router and CCTV cameras of the H-block hostel premises. Pursuant to the said Enquiry Report, Respondent No.1 passed the impugned order dated 08th April 2025 imposing the punishments on the Petitioners.
3.
By the impugned order, the Petitioners are restricted from appearing in the summer semester examination 2025. They are debarred from enrolling for the Academic Year 2025-2026 and restricted from being students of the University for the said Academic Year. Further, the Petitioners are restricted from entering into the hostel premises in future from the date of the order. The Petitioners and said Asif Khan are directed to deposit an amount of Rs.40,000/- jointly towards the damage caused. 4.
We have heard Learned Counsel for the Petitioners and Learned Counsel for Respondent No.1-College.
5.
The Learned Counsel for the Petitioners submits that the punishment imposed is disproportionate to the alleged misconduct. It is
3 Order-WP 6602-25.doc further submitted that the incident of misconduct was pertaining to the hostel and therefore the impugned order debarring the Petitioners from the College for the entire Academic Year in the absence of any rules cannot be allowed to stand.
6.
On the other hand, the Learned Counsel for Respondent No.1College submits that at the time of taking admission, the Petitioners were provided with the hostel manual. It is submitted that the hostel manual provides that any students, who damages the hostel property, engage in the misconduct within the hostel premises, damages the reputation of the College or misuse internet facility, shall be punished with the strict disciplinary action. He submitted that the Petitioners were aware of the said rules and regulations and despite of which they indulged in the misconduct. It is submitted that as per Section 43(i) of the Maharashtra COEP Technological University Act, 2022, Respondent No.1 has the power to take action for breach of discipline by the students. 7.
Considering the fact that the Petitioners are young students having promising future, we are of the opinion that the following order would meet the ends of justice:-
4 Order-WP 6602-25.doc (i) The office order dated 08th April 2025 passed by Respondent No.1-College is confirmed subject to the following modifications - (a) Respondent No.1 shall allow the Petitioners to attend the classes for the second semester of the first year curriculum, which are scheduled to commence from January 2026 and also to appear for the examination as per its routine schedule.
(b) The office order dated 08th April 2025 and the actions taken against the Petitioners shall not amount to a stigma on the Petitioners in their academic profile while pursuing their respective courses and Respondent No.1 shall evaluate their academic performances solely on their merit and uninfluenced by the office order dated 08th April 2025. 8.
The Petitioners shall however, file an undertaking on the record of the college that henceforth they shall not indulge into any misconduct in violation of the rules, regulations and statutes of Respondent No.1. They shall not seek admission nor shall they enter the hostel premises at any time.
5 Order-WP 6602-25.doc 9.
The Petitioners shall jointly deposit the amount of Rs.40,000/- with Respondent No.1-College within four weeks from today. 10.
The Writ Petition is disposed of in the aforesaid terms. (N.R. BORKAR, J.) (M.S. KARNIK, J.)