Students held in terror cases miss exams

JAIPUR: Four students pursuing engineering and polytechnic from Rajasthan who were arrested by Delhi and Rajasthan ATS on charges of Explosives Act and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) act in March 2014 have missed their semester's exams as they were suspended by their respective colleges even before the chargesheet was filed in the case.
The advocates alleged that colleges have not followed the rules and suspend them on the basis of police report.They also contended that police have yet to file chargesheet in the case but they were already being treated as convicts by the institutes. The manner in which institutes acted contradicts the court orders which say that the accused need to be treated innocent till proven guilty.
A petition was filed by the defense counsels in the Rajasthan High Court seeking court's intervention in reinstatement of these students in their respective colleges. It also said that the students in question should be provided books and computer to prepare for exams.
Petitioner and counsel Amiruddin Jatu submitted that 13 Muslim youths from Kota booked in 2008 in connection with the Jaipur serial blast case and were acquitted after 2-3 years. Among those who were students were suspended by their institutes and are yet to complete their studies.
Four accused-Maroof, Waqar Azhar, Mehraj, Yaseer Ammar were pursuing engineering from colleges affiliated to Rajasthan Technical University (RTU) were picked by the police in March 2014 for a hand in the Indian Mujahiddin sleeper cell. They were due to appear in exams slated in April, May and June.
Another student, Mehrajuddin, who was picked by the Delhi ATS and given a clean chit by them the same evening was also suspended by his engineering college in Jaipur. The college administration demanded an order from the court and NOC letter from the state police stating that he is not involved in any terror case for admission.
"It is unfortunate that colleges have suspended aforementioned students on the basis of media reports. This is highly unfair that these arrested students were declared offenders even before the trail has started," said Paker Farooq, counsel.
On the condition of anonymity, a director of a private college said, "We sought opinion from the RTU to guide us in the matter. They, however, took a month and told us to suspend them until court pronounced them acquitted."