The Madras High Court recently issued a directive to four college students, requiring them to clean school classrooms for a week and write essays on the works of Mahatma Gandhi, K Kamaraj, and Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam as prerequisites for being granted anticipatory bail.

Justice RMT Teeka Raman has approved anticipatory bail for the four individuals who were accused by the Tamil Nadu police of vandalizing their former school earlier this year. This incident occurred after a dispute with some younger students over the music selection during a school retreat festival in August.

The judge ordered that all four accused individuals, who were in Class XII at the time of the incident, must post a bail bond of ₹1,000 each. Additionally, they were instructed to clean a minimum of four classrooms at the Montford Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School in Yercaud, where they were enrolled when the incident occurred.

According to the court, “all the petitioners are ordered to be released on bail in the event of arrest or on their appearance, subject to the following conditions - (a) all the petitioners are required to appear before the Headmaster of the Montfort Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School, Yercaud and each of the petitioner shall execute a bond for a sum of Rs.1000/- ; (b) to clean and keep the classrooms (not less than 4 class room for each person) clean including black board, table, bench and the floor for a week and also (c) spend time in the school library and e-library to prepare notes by handwritten (not less than four pages) on - (i) non-violation from excerpts of Mahatma Gandhi, (ii) educational schemes promoted by the former Chief Minister Mr.K.Kamraj and (iii) dream and vision of Dr. Abdul Kalam.”

In a ruling issued on September 29, Justice Teeka Raman also mandated that each of the students must engage in the study of Mahatma Gandhi's writings on non-violence. Furthermore, they were directed to familiarize themselves with the published works of the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, K Kamaraj, and the former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.

The judge instructed all four students to compose a minimum of four pages discussing what they had gleaned from the aforementioned writings. These essays were to be submitted to the headmaster of their former school. Additionally, Justice Teeka Raman directed that the essays authored by the accused individuals be published on the school's official website and remain prominently displayed there for a period of one year.

Justice Teeka Raman further cautioned the accused individuals about the importance of avoiding plagiarism. He emphasized that they must create their own notes and write their essays by hand, refraining from using computers or any other electronic devices to prevent them from engaging in "cut-copy-paste" practices from sources like Google.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed in this case, the accused, along with a group of other Class XII students, became involved in a dispute with some Class X students during the retreat event. This disagreement stemmed from a disagreement about whose selection of songs should be played first during the event.

It appears that a few days following the initial disagreement, the accused individuals reportedly assaulted the Class X students and vandalized portions of the school hostel. This unfortunate incident resulted in injuries to several students and staff members. In response, the school authorities filed a complaint, and the police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the accused students, charging them with offenses such as rioting, criminal trespass, and violation of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, among others.