Newspaper apologises to HC for quot;misleadingquot; report

The concerned report dealt with a petition filed by a third-year law student challenging his second-year marks in the Company Law paper. According to the student8217;s petition, he was repeatedly declared failed on account of corruption among the examiners of the University of Bombay. The student moved the court for rechecking of his papers by a committee of qualified examiners.

The Bombay Times report had stated that the petitioner8217;s lawyer expected quot;a tough legal battle ahead with the university since the student has questioned the entire exam system.quot;

The universitycounsel brought the report to the notice of the division bench of Justice Ashok Agarwal and Ranjana Desai. The judges held that the report quot;prima facie amounts to contempt of the courtquot;. Moreover, the judges said, the report categorically stated that the student8217;s petition was admitted, whereas the petition was merely filed. The court ruled that the report quot;was misleading the public mindquot; adding, quot;The article carried insinuation against the Mumbai University and the law department in particular.quot;

The court also objected to the statements made by the student8217;s advocate regarding malpractices in the examination department of the University. The division bench on Monday dismissed the student8217;s petition after the student8217;s advocate apologised to the court.

Meanwhile, the newspaper has agreed to publish an unconditional apology along with a clarification in one of the coming editions. The wording of the apology will be drafted by the university counsel and presented in the court tomorrow.