The Orissa High Court (HC) has passed an interim order, staying all ongoing proceedings initiated by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar. The case pertains to the alleged suicide of a female undergraduate student from Nepal in February this year.
Justice Dr Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi, while granting the stay, underscored the importance of procedural fairness in quasi-judicial actions, reported LiveLaw.in.
“Compliance with the principles of natural justice is not merely procedural — it is essential. When an individual or institution is denied the opportunity to be heard, the legitimacy of the entire process comes into question,” the court noted.
The high court’s directive freezes the effect of the NHRC’s order dated March 27, 2025, and all subsequent action under Case No. 134/18/28/2025-WC until the matter is next heard.
The case will be taken up again on April 29.
Background
The deceased initially lodged a complaint with the International Relations Officer (IRO) of KIIT on March 12, 2024, concerning objectionable private photos shared by a male peer.
The matter was addressed by the university’s Disciplinary Committee, which instructed the accused to delete the content. The issue was reportedly resolved with mutual consent, and the student indicated she did not wish to escalate the matter.
Given the sensitive nature of the issue and the student’s stated unwillingness to pursue it further, the IRO chose not to refer the matter to either the Internal Complaints Committee or local police authorities.
Tensions resurfaced in January 2025, culminating in a confrontation on campus. Both parties were brought in for counselling, where they agreed in writing to cut all contact.
Despite these assurances, tragedy struck on February 16, when the student was found dead in her hostel room. An FIR was filed, and the accused was arrested the following day. He remains in custody.
The NHRC initiated an inquiry on March 3, forming a fact-finding committee comprising legal and investigative personnel. The team visited the campus between March 6 and 8 and submitted its findings, leading to the NHRC’s ex-parte order on March 27 against KIIT.
Senior Advocate CS Vaidyanathan, representing KIIT, argued before the high court that the university was neither provided the inquiry report nor given a chance to present its defense before the NHRC issued its order, added LiveLaw.in.
The high court agreed that the procedural lapses raised serious concerns. It held that denying KIIT a fair hearing undermined the integrity of the inquiry. Accordingly, it stayed both the NHRC’s order and all proceedings until the matter is heard next.
