The family alleges that the police investigation is not being conducted seriously. They have filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking a CBI or SIT investigation, supervision by a retired judge, preservation of CCTV footage, and witness protection.
Mumbai: Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment and RPI President Ramdas Athawale has taken a strong stand in support of the family in the case of Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a second-year B.Tech student at IIT Bombay, who committed suicide in his hostel room on September 18th. He termed the social media campaign against the bereaved family as false and insensitive and appealed for an impartial investigation.
In his statement, Athawale said that Sahil’s parents, Ravindra and Sonali Wakode, met him at his residence, ‘Samvidhan Niwas’, a few days ago. They have lost their young son. Despite such immense grief, they have not passed any judgment on anyone. They are fighting the case fully through the legal process. They have filed a police complaint and petitioned the Bombay High Court for an independent CBI/SIT investigation. Their only demand is that the truth be revealed.
Athawale further stated, “Unfortunately, some people are misrepresenting this case and passing judgment on social media before the investigation is complete. The parents who lost their son know their child best. That is why they are fighting for the truth. It is wrong and insensitive to launch a social media campaign against a grieving family. A trial should not be based on selective videos on social media; the truth should emerge through an impartial investigation.”
He described the SC/ST Act as a shield for the protection of Dalit and tribal communities and said that where a complaint is proven false, the law should do its work, but questioning the entire law on the basis of one incident is injustice to the victims. Athawale urged everyone to allow the investigating agencies and the court to do their work. He expressed full faith in the judiciary and said that he and the RPI stand firmly with Sahil’s parents. The fight will continue until justice is achieved.
Sahil Wakode, a resident of Yavatmal, was a second-year student in the Energy Science and Engineering department at IIT Bombay. He was allegedly caught with a mobile phone during the mid-semester exam on September 18th. According to the institute’s initial statement, he had uploaded the question paper to the chat platform GPT and requested answers. A few hours after the exam, he was found hanging in his hostel room in the evening. No suicide note was found.
The family alleges that Sahil suffered caste-based humiliation and mental torture. His father, Ravindra Wakode, alleged that Professor Suryanarayan Dulla (who was also the invigilator of the exam) had been making casteist remarks for the past three months and that he was harassed at the direction of Director Shirish Kedare. The family claims that Sahil was removed from the examination hall, reprimanded, and prevented from continuing with the examination by not providing a new answer sheet as required by the rules. Sahil also tendered a written apology and requested a second chance.
On September 19th, based on Ravindra Wakode’s complaint, an FIR was registered at the Powai police station under sections of abetment to suicide (now the relevant section of the Indian Penal Code) and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Professor Dulla and other officials were named. The investigation was handed over to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, which is being led by an ACP-rank officer.
The Crime Branch has so far recorded statements from over 40 people, including family members, students, hostel staff, and faculty. Sahil’s mobile phone and laptop were sent for forensic examination. CCTV footage, which records his movements from the examination hall to the hostel, is being examined. Professor Dulla was removed from his position as Administrative Dean and placed on leave. The institute also formed a 10-member internal committee.
The family alleges that the police investigation is not being conducted seriously. They have filed a petition in the Bombay High Court demanding a CBI or SIT investigation, oversight by a retired judge, preservation of CCTV footage, and witness protection. An application has also been filed with the Special Atrocities Court. Student protests continue on the IIT Bombay campus. The family also held a hunger strike at Azad Maidan. Several organizations demanded justice. Athawale criticized the selective videos and accusations circulating on social media, stating that the trial should be conducted through an impartial investigation, not on social media.
Geetha Sunil Pillai
Courtesy: Hindi News