The Delhi High Court has initiated legal action on its own accord in response to an incident that occurred during the cultural festival at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi). This incident reportedly involved the alleged filming of female students from a Delhi University (DU) college while they were changing their costumes in a restroom.

A Division Bench consisting of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad has acknowledged and acted upon a news report published in The Indian Express on October 9th.

According to the report, a contingent of students from Bharati College at Delhi University, who had been invited to take part in a fashion show event, discovered that they were being covertly filmed while they were changing their costumes in a restroom. Subsequent analysis of CCTV footage revealed that the individual responsible for the filming was a member of the housekeeping staff at IIT Delhi.

The Court acknowledged that it has encountered numerous instances of student harassment, underscoring significant shortcomings in the planning and execution of security measures at college festivals within the university system. The Bench also made reference to a parallel case at Gargi College in Delhi University, where multiple students had reportedly faced assaults.

"These recurring incidents highlight the negligent attitude of the authorities responsible for organizing such festivals in anticipating and implementing protective measures to guarantee the safety of students participating in or attending these events. In our view, it is crucial to establish robust security protocols that enable students to engage in such events without the looming fear of encountering such acts of violation. Consequently, in light of the aforementioned incident, this Court finds it suitable to take suo motu cognizance of security breaches, especially concerning female attendees, at festivals organized by colleges and universities in the Delhi-NCR region," stated the order.

The Delhi Police informed the Court that the individuals accused in the current case have been apprehended and taken into custody.

The Court has issued notices to the Delhi government, Delhi Police, as well as Delhi University and IP University. Both universities are instructed to provide a report outlining their current policies and measures related to security during college festivals.

The Bench has directed the Delhi Police to submit a status report on the matter within two weeks. Additionally, the investigating officer has been instructed to exercise "utmost discretion" throughout the investigation and to safeguard the anonymity of the women involved in the case.

Immediate measures must be implemented to prevent the spread of photographs and videos captured by the alleged perpetrator. If such media is shared on any social media platforms, the Deputy Commissioner of Police and the Investigating Officer are instructed to promptly take action to remove them in accordance with the law.

The next scheduled listing for the matter is on November 10th.