SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi/New Delhi, March 10: The Supreme Court has upheld the Jharkhand High Court’s order directing Birla Institute of Technology (BIT), Mesra to pay ₹20 lakh compensation to the parents of deceased student Raja Paswan, while granting the institute two weeks to comply with the payment direction.
A bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan passed the order on February 27, while hearing Special Leave Petitions filed by BIT Mesra challenging the High Court judgment.
During the hearing, counsel for the institute submitted that BIT Mesra would comply with the High Court’s direction if some time was granted. Accepting the request, the Supreme Court allowed two weeks to deposit the amount and listed the matter for further hearing on March 23, 2026.
Jharkhand High Court judgment of August 12, 2025
The direction stems from a Jharkhand High Court judgment delivered by Justice Sanjay Prasad on August 12, 2025, in Criminal Appeal (SJ) No. 149/2025, where the court held BIT Mesra responsible for negligence and institutional lapses in connection with the death of the student.
The High Court had ordered the institute to pay ₹20 lakh as interim compensation to the parents of Raja Paswan, observing that the institution had failed to ensure timely medical care and proper supervision on campus.
Incident during fresher’s party
According to the case details, Raja Paswan, a third-semester student of BIT Mesra Polytechnic, was allegedly assaulted on November 14, 2024, during a fresher’s event involving students.
The High Court noted that the student was seriously injured in the assault, but the institute allegedly failed to arrange immediate medical treatment and did not adequately inform the parents about the seriousness of the injuries.
He was later taken to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, where he succumbed during treatment.
Findings and observations of the High Court
In its judgment, the Jharkhand High Court pointed to several institutional lapses by the college administration, including:
- Failure to ensure prompt medical assistance for the injured student
- Delay in informing the police about the incident
- Non-functional CCTV cameras and weak campus surveillance
- Lack of adequate campus security arrangements
The court also observed that the post-mortem report revealed multiple injuries, contradicting initial claims that the student’s condition was due to alcohol consumption.
Holding the institute liable under the principles of tortious and vicarious liability, the High Court directed BIT Mesra to pay compensation to the victim’s family.
Supreme Court proceedings
BIT Mesra subsequently approached the Supreme Court through Special Leave Petitions, seeking relief against the High Court’s order.
However, during the hearing on February 27, 2026, the institute informed the apex court that it was willing to comply with the compensation direction if time was granted.
The Supreme Court, therefore, granted two weeks for compliance, effectively allowing the High Court order to remain in force.
The matter will be taken up again on March 23, 2026.
