Madras High Court
J.Chittibabu vs University Grants Commission (Ugc) on 22 October, 2025
Author: G.K.Ilanthiraiyan
Bench: G.K.Ilanthiraiyan
W.P.No.25006 of 2025
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 22.10.2025
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE G.K.ILANTHIRAIYAN
W.P.No.25006 of 2025
and W.M.P.No.28183 of 2025
J.Chittibabu ... Petitioner
-Vs-
1. University Grants Commission (UGC),
Represented By Chairman,
Bhadur Shah Zafar Marg,
New Delhi 110 002.
2. National Anti Ragging Monitoring Agency,
Represented By its Chairperson,
Benito Juarez Marge,
South Campus,
South Moti Bagh,
New Delhi 110 021.
3. The President,
Dental Council of India,
Aiwan E Galib Marg,
Kotla Road,
Temple Lane,
New Delhi-110002.
4. The President,
Tamilnadu Dental Council,
5-0-3 Arihant Majestic Towers,
216 100 Feet Road,
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W.P.No.25006 of 2025
Jainagar, Koyambedu, Chennai-600107.
5. The Principal,
Thai Moogambigai Dental College,
Mogappair, Chennai 600 037.
6. Dr.M.G.R Educational and Research Institute,
Represented By its Registrar,
Periyar E.V.R.Salai,
Maduravoyal, Chennai 600 095.
7. The Inspector,
All Women Police Station,
Thirmangalam, Anna Nagar,
Chennai 600 040. ... Respondents
Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India
praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the
respondents 1 to 4 and 7 to take appropriate action against all involved
for the ragging of the petitioner's late daughter Ms.Samyuktha CL in the
5th respondent institution in terms of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition and
Ragging Act, 1997, Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Ragging Rules 1999,
Directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India dated 08.05.2009, the
UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher
Educational Institutions, 2009 and the DCI regulations on Curbing the
Menace of Ragging in Dental Colleges 2009 and file a report before this
Hon'ble Court within a time frame that may be fixed by this Hon'ble
Court.
For Petitioner : Mr.J.Saravana Vel
For R1 : Mr.R.Rabu Manohar
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W.P.No.25006 of 2025
Senior Panel Counsel
For R3 : Mr.Subramaian Vaidyanathan
For R7 : Mr.L.Baskaran
Government Advocate (Crl.side)
ORDER
This Writ Petition has been filed for direction directing the respondents 1 to 4 and 7 to take appropriate action against all the persons who had involved in ragging of the petitioner's late daughter Ms.Samyuktha CL in the 5th respondent Institution.
2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner, the learned Senior Panel Counsel for the first respondent, the learned counsel for the third respondent and the learned Government Advocate (Crl.side) for the 7th respondent and perused the materials available on record.
3. The petitioner’s daughter one Samyuktha CL was enrolled in BDS program during the month of September, 2023 in the fifth respondent College. The fifth respondent is affiliated to the 6th respondent deemed to be University. The 6th respondent is recognized by the first respondent. The petitioner's daughter was diagnosed with “Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome” for over 7 years, since 2017. Her condition was Page 3 of 12 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 10/11/2025 03:40:33 pm ) W.P.No.25006 of 2025 invisible disability and she used to have excruciating pain in her pelvis, crippling her day-to-day activities. Therefore, she will experience excruciating pain which she has to endure and it would cause her uneasy walk movements. It was duly informed to the fifth respondent about the sequence of illness of the petitioner’s daughter. While being so, on 25.06.2024, she informed the petitioner that few days back while attending her Prosthodontics lab class, four lab tutors had physically harassed her in front of all the College peers, making derogatory and filthy languages about her way of walk and postures. They had behaved barbarically and continued to harass, humiliate and break her self esteem. Adding to the horrendous activity, they had purposely made her walk 50 times up and down in front of her peers, humiliating and passing derogatory body-shaming slander towards her. Therefore, she sustained pain and mental agony.
4. Therefore, on 26.06.2024, the petitioner and his wife met the Principal and Head of the Department of the Prosthodontics Department of the fifth respondent and informed about the incident that happened to Page 4 of 12 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 10/11/2025 03:40:33 pm ) W.P.No.25006 of 2025 their daughter. The Principal of the fifth respondent, who is also a member of the Tamil Nadu Dental Council assured that action will be taken as against the persons who were involved and were responsible for the ragging of the petitioner's daughter. An enquiry was conducted on 02.07.2024, wherein the Principal of the fifth respondent called the petitioner and confirmed that the incident had happened to the petitioner’s daughter. On 03.07.2024, when the petitioner’s daughter went to meet the fifth respondent, she was surprised that all the faculties including the Vice President and several heads of the department were present. However, the petitioner or his daughter was not informed about the enquiry. She was made to wait till 01.30 p.m and it caused stress and she was again subjected to severe mental trauma. She was victimised and harassed in the name of general enquiry for giving a complaint. Due to the mental stress, she passed away due to cardiac arrest, on 26.07.2024.
5. Thereafter, the petitioner along with his family members went to the fifth respondent and asked about the enquiry report which was conducted on 03.07.2024. The petitioner was informed that two months salary of the Lab Tutors were withheld and no other action has been taken Page 5 of 12 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 10/11/2025 03:40:33 pm ) W.P.No.25006 of 2025 against them. Therefore, the petitioner had sent an e-mail and a registered post of the complaint to the respondents 1 to 7 herein.
6. A perusal of the status report submitted by the 7th respondent revealed that on receipt of the complaint, the 8th respondent had conducted enquiry and closed the complaint, on the ground that during the enquiry, the victim did not mention the names of the people who ragged and tortured her. The grievance of the petitioner is that the 6th respondent had failed to inform the Anti-ragging Cell/Committee of the first respondent and failed to take appropriate action. Further, the 5th respondent failed to adhere to the provisions of the Anti-Ragging Act, the guidelines issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, University Grants Commission and Dental Council of India regulation on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Dental Colleges. Therefore, the petitioner had sent a legal notice to the respondents, on 05.12.2024, thereby calling upon them to provide the following documents with regard to the consideration of the complaint:
“ 1. Details of the enquiry, if any, conducted by Thai Moogambigai Dental College, Mogappair, Chennai on the deceased student's complaint.Page 6 of 12
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2. Copies of the punishment imposed on the perpetrators.
3. Documentary proof of compliance of the alleged punishment imposed on the perpetrators.
4. Letter sent to the HOD that he has been demoted from his position as HOD.
5. Details of constitution of the Anti-Ragging Committee.
6. CCTV footage of the ragging incident of my daughter.
7. Whether the Anti-Ragging Committee was constituted pursuant to the demise of the student?”
7. However, there was no response and as such, the petitioner’s wife had sent a complaint before the National Commission for Women. It was forwarded for enquiry to the 7th respondent. However, it was subsequently closed.
8. A perusal of the counter filed by the third respondent revealed that it is a statutory body constituted under the provisions of the Dentists Act, 1948 (herein after called as “the Act”). It has been entrusted with the duty to regulate dental education and the professional conduct of dental institutions across the country. Therefore, it is obligated to ensure compliance with the provision of the Act, Rules and Regulations framed therein, to safeguard the interest of the students, pursuing their dental education in the recognized institutions. After filing this writ petition, by Page 7 of 12 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 10/11/2025 03:40:33 pm ) W.P.No.25006 of 2025 the communication dated 18.09.2025, the Action Taken Report was called upon from the concerned authorities, together with all the relevant documents. Further, the third respondent is duty bound to examine such allegations of ragging, harassment or misconduct occurring in a dental institution recognized under the Act. Further, the Regulations made from the directions issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India pertaining to ragging in educational institutions, lay down mandatory procedures and safeguards to be ensured to prevent the cases of ragging and student harassments. Further, the allegation involved is grave, and require utmost seriousness and sensitivity, as it has taken away an innocent student's life. Hence, the third respondent now has seized the issue and commenced the due process prescribed under the law.
9. In view of the above, the third respondent is directed to take appropriate action as against the person, who committed ragging as against the petitioner’s daughter in terms of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition and Ragging Act, 1997, Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Ragging Rules 1999, Directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India dated 08.05.2009, the UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Page 8 of 12 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 10/11/2025 03:40:33 pm ) W.P.No.25006 of 2025 Educational Institutions, 2009 and the DCI regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Dental Colleges 2009. The third respondent is also directed to submit a copy of the report to the 7 th respondent. On receipt of the said report, the 7th respondent is directed to take appropriate action as against the persons who had committed illegality in accordance with law. It is also made clear that the concerned persons are to be issued notice for enquiry, by giving opportunity of hearing to them during the enquiry and pass orders on merits and in accordance with law, within a period of twelve weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. It is also made clear that in view of the interim order passed by this Court, the fifth respondent was directed to preserve the enquiry report which is referred to in the 6th respondent letter dated 01.10.2024. The fifth respondent is directed to submit the said report before the third respondent during the enquiry.
10. With the above directions, this writ petition stands disposed of. Consequently, connected Miscellaneous petition is closed. No costs.
22.10.2025 Page 9 of 12 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 10/11/2025 03:40:33 pm ) W.P.No.25006 of 2025 Internet: Yes Index : Yes/No Neutral Citation: Yes/No Speaking/Non Speaking order mn Page 10 of 12 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 10/11/2025 03:40:33 pm ) W.P.No.25006 of 2025 To
1. The Chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC), Bhadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110 002.
2. The Chairperson, National Anti Ragging Monitoring Agency, Benito Juarez Marge, South Campus, South Moti Bagh, New Delhi 110 021.
3. The President, Dental Council of India, Aiwan E Galib Marg, Kotla Road, Temple Lane, New Delhi-110002.
4. The President, Tamilnadu Dental Council, 5-0-3 Arihant Majestic Towers, 216 100 Feet Road, Jainagar, Koyambedu, Chennai-600107.
5. The Principal, Thai Moogambigai Dental College, Mogappair, Chennai 600 037.
6. Dr.M.G.R Educational and Research Institute, Represented By its Registrar, Periyar E.V.R.Salai, Maduravoyal, Chennai 600 095.
7. The Inspector, All Women Police Station, Thirmangalam, Anna Nagar, Chennai 600 040.
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