COURT CAUTIONS MUST CREATE TRUST, NOT FEAR

THE Mumbai sessions court's intervention in the case of nine Tata Institute of Social Sciences students facing investigation for organising an ‘unauthorised’ event to mark the death anniversary of former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba raises serious concerns about the limits of law, academic freedom and civil liberties.

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While courts are duty-bound to uphold the law and public order, the judge’s warning that the students’ “careers would be ruined” if they acquired a criminal record goes beyond the bounds of judicial caution and risks sending a deeply discouraging message to young citizens.