1. The petitioner-Neelam Shetty has come forward with the present writ petition for issuance of a direction to the respondents to initiate disciplinary action against the six students, who headed the ragging in the 2nd respondent institution, to refund the amount of Rs.35,250/- paid for admission in the 2nd respondent institution and to pay an adequate compensation.

2. The short facts of the case, necessary for the disposal of the writ petition are as follows:-

(i) Petitioner, Neelam Shetty, who secured 60% marks in Higher Secondary Examination opted for Hotel Management Course. She applied to the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology, New Delhi and accordingly, she was selected for counselling and she paid Counselling fees of Rs.10,000/-. In the said counselling, she chosen to study at Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition at Tharamani, the second respondent institution. Thereafter, the petitioner paid Rs.25,250/- towards admission fees and also joined in the Girls Hostel of the second respondent institute on 14.07.2003.

(ii) According to the petitioner's father viz., Suresh Shetty, he left his daughter Neelam Shetty in the Hostel and went for shopping and when he returned at about 9.30 p.m., he found that his daughter was in sorry state of affairs since she was ragged by her seniors. However, he convinced her daughter.

(iii) According to the petitioner herein, the so-called seniors asked her to obey their instructions, which instructions were very serious in nature and could not be followed. Again the father of the petitioner, on coming to know about the continued ragging, went to report the matter to the Hostel Warden viz., Ananthakrishnan, who also called the senior students and asked to solve the matter amicably. Thereafter, the senior students asked apology. As such, Neelam Shetty continued to stay in the hostel.

(iv) The petitioner's father, thereafter, went to Mumbai on 18.07.2003 and called his daughter over phone on 19.07.2003, at which time, Neelam Shetty, again made complaints of ragging meted out to her. Therefore, he returned to Chennai and met her daughter, who revealed all tortures given by her senior students.

(v) On 17.07.2003, according to the petitioner, she was called by one of her seniors, who coerced her and warned her of reporting the matter to anybody. Even on 18.07.2003, the petitioner-Neelam Shetty was tortured by her seniors, who asked her to meet some senior boys and they all ragged her in an indecent manner. Further, another Senior asked the petitioner to clean her room and also asked to show some bad gestures for a vulgar song.

(vi) Since the petitioner – Neelam Shetty was meted out with painful incidents in the hostel, she complained the same to the Principal of the second respondent institution on 21.07.2003, who also according to the petitioner accused her as she made a complaint with ulterior motive. Left with no other option, the petitioner's father made a complaint to the Commissioner of Police on 22.07.2003 and the same was forwarded to the Joint Commissioner, South Chennai. Thereafter, enquiry was done by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Guindy, followed by the registration of complaint in FIR on 22.07.2003 by the Inspector of Police, Velacherry under Section 4 of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1997 and under Sections 354 and 506(ii) IPC and under Prohibition of Harassment of Women's Act, 1998. On 23.07.2003, a team of police headed by the Assistant Commissioner conducted an enquiry with the alleged five senior students.

(vii) On the plea of the petitioner, she was permitted to take back her luggage from the hostel and on representation for return of Transfer Certificate and refund of fees amount, she was issued with Transfer Certificate, but she got refund only Rs.2,000/-and the petitioner-Neelam Shetty left the second respondent institution on 23.07.2003.

(viii) The grievance of the petitioner is that, if the ragg