In a strong rebuke, the Bombay High Court has condemned the arrest and rustication of 19-year-old Khadija Sheikh, an IT engineering student at Sinhgad College, Pune, over her Instagram story criticizing India’s military action under ‘Operation Sindoor’. The court questioned the Maharashtra government and the institution’s conduct, stating that such extreme action was tantamount to “ruining the life of a student.” Khadija, who was arrested on May 7, became the focus of intense scrutiny involving multiple agencies including the Pune police, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), after her post was deemed “anti-national” by right-wing groups that reportedly staged protests on campus.

Following her arrest, Sinhgad College rusticated Khadija, alleging she had brought “disrepute” and posed a “risk to campus and society.” The student had deleted the post within two hours and publicly apologized after facing online threats. The college’s decision and the arrest drew sharp criticism from the vacation bench of Justices Gauri Godse and Somasekhar Sundaresan. The judges expressed shock at the institution’s handling of the situation, stating, “You are ruining the life of a student? What kind of conduct is this?” The court dismissed the institution’s justification of national interest, highlighting that the student had already faced severe consequences and deserved fair treatment.

The bench also rejected the state counsel’s proposal for Khadija to take her exams under police surveillance. Advocate Farhana Shah, representing Khadija, was advised to file an appropriate plea seeking her release, with the court emphasizing that her academic rights must not be violated. “She cannot be stopped from appearing in exams. She cannot be asked to appear with police around her,” Justice Godse said firmly. The matter is scheduled for further hearing, as the court weighs the broader implications of institutional overreach and the balance between free expression and national security narratives.