In a major relief to St. Stephen’s suspended student Devansh Mehta, the Delhi High Court on Friday stayed his suspension, issued a notice to the college principal and barred the college from awarding the prize that was withdrawn from the student to anyone else until the next date of hearing on May 21.
The student had founded an e-zine which was banned after it carried an interview of the principal. His suspension followed soon after he spoke about it to the media.
The student in his petition claimed that he was being repeatedly victimised by the college principal Valson Thampu.
The petition sought relief against, “the arbitrary, illegal, mala fide and shockingly unreasonable actions unleashed against him by the principal.”
The first act, according to the petition, was stopping publication of the e-zine, and then suspending him based on a one-man disciplinary enquiry report which found the student guilty of breaching “college discipline” by speaking to the press.
Another case of “vindictiveness”, alleged by Devansh was cancellation of his name from the Rai Sahib Benarsi Das Memorial Prize for which he had been selected.
Devansh was to receive the prize on Saturday at the St. Stephen’s Dismissal Service.
The petition states that banning the e-zine was in transgression of Article 19 (1) of the Constitution and speaking to the media cannot be a ground for misconduct.
The main reasons for Devansh going to court are to get permission to attend the function on Saturday. Devansh, who is a third year Philosophy student, is also seeking to protect himself from any adverse action that might ruin his future prospects.
