Delhi HC slams student for concealing fact for hostel facility

New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has slammed aPh.d student who has concealed the fact of his staying in aDelhi University hostel to avail cheap accommodation inanother hostel of the university.

"It is quite obvious that the intent of Venu Gopal, aPh.D(Math) student, was to continue availing of the cheapaccommodation by hook or by crook. I am otherwise gravelyperturbed by the petitioner having gained admission to JubileeHall Hostel(JHH) by concealment," said Justice Rajiv SahaiEndlaw and rejected his plea for a stay on a notice servedupon him to vacate the hostel.

"When the admission form expressly provides forinformation to be furnished of occupation of other hostels ofthe University, the question of the petitioner not providingthe said information owing to haste does not arise," the courtsaid adding "Venu Gopal was aware that if details werefurnished, the same would make him ineligible for admission".

"The University and especially those in whom themaintenance of discipline in the hostels is entrusted arerequired to deal with the matter of discipline with a firmhand. Their decision should not be lightly interfered with bythis court," the court said.

The court rejected his counsel''s argument that under therules the petitioner once admitted is entitled to continuein JHH for 6 and half years while he has stayed for onlyabove two years.

The court, however, accepted the DU counsel''s argumentthat Venu Gopal had concealed the facts that as a student andsubsequently as a lecturer of Zakir Hussain college he hadstayed in Mansarovar hostel there earlier.

The counsel informed the court that in the past, hisconduct was not satisfactory as he has been lodging FIRsagainst the hostel authorities.

On January 21, an inquiry committee had served a noticeto him on the grounds of concealment of fact about hisprevious stay in Mansarovar hostel in the admissionapplication form of JHH and non-submission of charactercertificate from previous hostel, he said.

In addition, he had broken the lock of Computer Roomon 2nd February, 2009 without permission of the halladministration, the counsel alleged.

Besides, passing vulgar comments and creation of ahostile situation during the admission committee meeting heldon 29th November, 2010, his involvement in ransacking andbreaking the tables and chairs in the canteen on 29thNovember, 2010, he charged.