A Mumbai sessions court judge on Monday came down heavily on nine students from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and told them that their careers have been "ruined" after they were booked for participating in an event commemorating the death anniversary of former Delhi University professor and human rights activist G N Saibaba, reported the Indian Express.
"You have a criminal record. Now your record is with the police --not just here but everywhere in the country. You know that you have made a blunder so early in your career," Additional Sessions Judge Manoj B Oza was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
"Your career is ruined," he said.
The court made the remarks while hearing an anticipatory bail application filed by the students, who have been named in an FIR by the Trombay police for participating in the event. The case was filed based on a complaint by the TISS administration.
The FIR invoked charges of causing prejudice to the nation, causing enmity between various groups and participating in unlawful assembly, among others, reported the Scroll.
The FIR also alleged that the students shouted slogans in support of jailed activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who were denied bail by the Supreme Court recently.
G N Saibaba, who had over 90 per cent disability due to polio and used a wheelchair, spent over seven years in jail after being accused of having Maoist links. The former professor was acquitted by the Bombay High Court in March 2024.
Seven months after he was released from prison, on October 12, he died of post-operative complications in Hyderabad. Saibaba's family and rights groups have alleged that prolonged imprisonment and inadequate medical care had caused his health to deteriorate, leading to his death.
To commemorate his first death anniversary, some students gathered on the TISS campus, lit candles and displayed posters of Saibaba on October 12 last year.
According to Scroll, the gathering was disrupted by a few students reportedly associated with a group named the Democratic Secular Students Forum. The group also allegedly tore down some posters and clicked pictures of those participating in the event.
Subsequently, nine students who attended the event were booked by the police.
While hearing their anticipatory bail plea, the court enquired how many of their parents were government employees and remarked that the students will not land government jobs due to the case.
"How many of you are from outside Maharashtra? You came to study in Maharashtra for all this? Your fathers know about the case? How many of your fathers are in government jobs? You will not get government jobs because of the case," the judge said.
The judge also remarked that they would have to disclose the pending criminal case even if they take up private employment.
He further asked their lawyer about the programme the students were pursuing.
When he was told that they were enrolled in a Master’s in Social Work programme, the judge said their degrees would not help them secure employment.
"You think you are scientists or engineers. Even engineers don’t have jobs," the judge said.
After addressing the students, the judge extended the interim protection from arrest granted earlier and posted the matter for hearing to later this month.