Parents of IIT Bombay student seek CBI or SIT probe
Ravindra and Sonali Wakode have petitioned the Bombay high court for an independent investigation into the death of their son, Sahil Wakode.
Ravindra and Sonali Wakode have petitioned the Bombay high court seeking a fair and independent investigation into the death of their son, Sahil Wakode. The 20-year-old second-year BTech student died by suicide on September 18 at the IIT Bombay campus in Mumbai.
The parents are seeking a probe by either the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a Special Investigation Team (SIT). They have also requested that the investigation be monitored by a retired Bombay high court judge.
The petition alleges that Sahil, who belonged to a scheduled caste, was subjected to caste-based humiliation and mental torture. The petitioners claim a teacher with a history of harsh conduct towards students from marginalised backgrounds instigated the suicide through misuse of power and threats.
According to the petition, instead of providing a fresh answer sheet during an exam on September 18, a professor took Sahil out of the hall, berated him, and forcibly kept him at the office of the HOD. The institute stated the incident followed Sahil being caught using a mobile phone during an examination.
The parents have also filed a plea in a special court designated under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. They are seeking a status report on six representations made to the police and the preservation of evidence, including CCTV footage and witness protection.
The Mumbai police have previously lodged an FIR for abetment of suicide against IIT professor Suryanarayan Doolla. Advocate Prakash Ambedkar is expected to mention the petition for an urgent hearing on Monday.