SC student files police complaint against college

An ongoing fee battle between ILS Law College and Scheduled Caste (SC) students has taken a new turn with a former student filing a police complaint against the institution for committing an atrocity on him.

Mahendra Shinde (30), who studied at the college from 2005 to 2008, said he was made to pay fees even though he belonged to the SC category.

Currently a PhD student with the University of Pune, Shinde has demanded a case be registered against ILS Law College principal Vaijayanti Joshi under the Atrocity Act.

"I lost my last year as they didn't allow me to write exams because of low attendance. They also collected fees, though we (SC students) are exempt from it," said Shinde. "I want them punished for the harassment and agony they caused me."

Police Inspector Kashinath Umbarje from Deccan police station said it was impossible to register a case under the Atrocity Act. "We have taken his complaint and are investigating before we can formally lodge a case. But I explained to the student that he should approach the University of Pune if SC students have a grouse over fees," said Umbarje.

"We have written a letter to the department concerned on the fee issue and the students should have waited for our reply," said college rector Professor Santosh Jaybhaye.