3 min readNew DelhiFeb 24, 2026 10:22 PM ISTThe court will hear the matter again on Wednesday. (File photo)The Delhi High Court, while dealing with a petition by a first-year student of Dr BR Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) against an expulsion order issued against her, orally remarked Tuesday that the punishment appeared to be “disproportionate”.The student, in a separate petition moved earlier in the HC, had claimed that she was being “relentlessly harassed” after being expelled allegedly over participation in protests.Nadia was first suspended on March 5, 2025, for a period of one year over alleged violation of code of conduct by participating in protests against an incident of ragging and bullying of a student, after which she moved the HC. Following the court’s intervention, the university had revoked the suspension and agreed to consider the case afresh with due process. The court, while disposing of the petition, had also cautioned that she should not take part in any demonstration, “directly or indirectly related with regard to the incident”.The varsity, in May 2025, however, accused Nadia of participating in protests even after the HC’s caution, where students had demanded reopening of the AUD main gate, restoration of timings, etc. While Nadia denied participating in the protests, the university went ahead and issued an expulsion order on June 27 that year. Nadia challenged this expulsion order last year before HC that remains pending.In a fresh petition, Nadia has now challenged the latest expulsion order against her, according to which she stands permanently dismissed from the university and rendered ineligible for readmission. Nadia, through her counsels Abhik Chimni and Pranjal Abrol, has submitted before the court that she has been punished twice for the same cause: once with an apology and then with the expulsion.Chimni submitted, “The expulsion order is completely bad in law to the extent that they make me write an apology, and treat it as a written statement (as part of the fresh inquiry), and use it (the apology) to expel me. That’s double jeopardy.”Addressing the varsity’s counsel Mohinder Rupal, Justice Jasmeet Singh Tuesday remarked orally: “…This is disproportionate…Where is the tolerance? What is happening?”Story continues below this adWhile the court initially remarked that it is inclined to stay the expulsion order, the varsity sought time to take instructions and to bring the record of the case to the court’s attention.The court will hear the matter again on Wednesday.Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court Professional Profile Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express. Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare). Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others. She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020. With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles: High-Profile Case Coverage She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots. She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy. Signature Style Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system. X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read More © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:delhidelhi high court