IIT beef row: PIL seeks action against attacker and panel to maintain peace

A division bench comprising Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice M Sundar before whom the PIL came up on Wednesday, posted the case for further hearing to June 23. The bench in its order also recorded the aspect that “the grievance expressed by the counsel for the petitioner is that despite one of the students had been attacked and grievously injured no action has been taken by the IIT. 

Per contra, Senior Counsel Vijay Narayanan appearing for IIT submitted that immediately after the incident a committee has been constituted and responses through e-mail have been sought from students and awaited and seeks time to file an affidavit to that effect.” 

Ditty Mathew, pursuing her research at IIT submitted that following a FB post on May 28 inviting friends to the mess complex in IIT for a discussion about the implications of Centre’s notification regulating sale of cattle for slaughter, around 50 people including Sooraj gathered there, indulged in discussions and ate cooked beef and bread. 

On May 30, Sooraj along with his friend Anoop, a research scholar in department of applied mechanics went to the regular mess for lunch. While they were eating, a group of eight students led by Manish Kumar Singh came there and questioned Sooraj whether he had participated in the ‘beef fest” and ate beef. 

When Sooraj answered in the affirmative, Manish and his gang brutally attacked Sooraj, in which he sustained grievous injuries particularly on his right eye. Subsequently, while he was being treated as an in-patient at a private hospital, the police recorded his statement and registered an FIR. But till date no action has come forth against Manish and others. 

On the contrary, due to political pressure, a false complaint has been registered against Sooraj. Ditty Mathew also alleged that despite Manish being involved in several violent incidents within the campus, the grievance redressal committee formed by the Institute after the incident had merely condemned his behaviour and recommended counselling. 

She also sought a direction to the IIT to take disciplinary action and suspend Manish Kumar Singh, pending inquiry into his conduct more particularly in the May 30 incident.

The Madras High Court (MHC) has issued notice to the State on a plea seeking to quash a notification pertaining to appointment of law officers to both the principal seat and bench of the MHC at Madurai as it lacked transparency.

The division bench comprising Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice M Sundar before whom the PIL moved by Thol. Thirumaavalavan, President, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi came up for hearing on Wednesday issued notice to Government Pleader M K Subramanian appearing on behalf of Secretary, Department of Law, Secretary, Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare, and Secretary, Public (Law Officers) and adjourned the case to August 8 for filing counter. 

The Petitioner’s Counsel M Palanimuthu submitted that there is no mention about the selection method and how the selection committee will receive application from eligible lawyers in the notification made on April 29.  The plea also sought for reservation while framing rules for transparent selection of law  officers.