The top court expressed concern over the four-day delay in filing the FIR and noted that it was registered only after the Court had asked about it.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India has taken a very serious view of the delay in registering a First Information Report (FIR) in the tragic case of a student suicide at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur.
The top court expressed concern over the four-day delay in filing the FIR and noted that it was registered only after the Court had asked about it.
A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan observed that IIT-Kharagpur officials must personally appear before the Court during the next hearing. The Bench also directed the officer-in-charge of the police station handling the case in Kharagpur to be present at the next hearing and explain the reasons behind the delay.
The Supreme Court stated:
“We are informed that the FIR was filed after four days from the date of suicide. The student died by suicide on May 4, whereas the FIR was filed on May 8, that too only when this court on May 6 enquired whether the FIR had been filed or not.”
The FIR in question was registered only after the Supreme Court asked for an update. This delay in action has raised serious questions about the functioning of authorities at educational institutions when it comes to protecting the lives of students.
The Bench said it found the delay in filing the FIR to be “unexplained“, further intensifying its concern over the manner in which the case was being handled.
While addressing the larger issue, the Bench was hearing a series of cases related to student suicides in academic institutions and coaching centres. The Supreme Court has been actively monitoring such incidents and has also asked for a status report in a suicide case in Kota, Rajasthan, which is known as a major coaching hub in the country.
Earlier, in another significant step, the Supreme Court had ordered the Central Government to deposit Rs 20 lakh for the establishment of a National Task Force. The aim of this Task Force is to prevent student suicides and to strengthen mental health support systems in educational institutions.
In that order, the Court had also instructed:
“All states and Union Territories to cooperate with the nodal officer concerned and give data and assistance to the officer in case of need.”
This ruling had come in response to an appeal filed by the parents of two students from IIT-Delhi, who had tragically died by suicide. The parents approached the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court refused to order the registration of an FIR in their case.
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The Supreme Court’s latest order reflects the growing concern over the increasing number of student suicides in India’s top educational institutions. The Court appears determined to bring accountability, not just to the educational institutions but also to police authorities, in handling such sensitive matters.
By calling IIT-Kharagpur officials and the concerned police officer to appear before it, the Court has made it clear that any negligence or delay in such serious cases will not be taken lightly.
Case Title: Amit Kumar & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors.
