The parents of 20-year-old Sahil Wakode, a second-year BTech student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, have filed a petition before the Bombay High Court seeking an independent investigation into his death. Sahil died by suicide on September 18, an incident the institute stated occurred shortly after he was apprehended for using his mobile phone during an academic examination. Distraught by the circumstances surrounding his passing, his parents, Ravindra and Sonali Wakode, are now calling for the case to be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a dedicated Special Investigation Team (SIT).
The family’s legal challenge, filed in the High Court, requests that the ongoing investigation be monitored by a retired High Court judge to ensure transparency and impartiality. Alongside this petition, a separate plea has been moved before a special court specifically designated to handle matters under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Through this legal route, the parents are demanding a formal status report regarding the action taken by the police on six different representations previously submitted by Sahil’s father.
Central to their grievances is the alleged mismanagement of evidence and private information following the tragedy. The petition raises serious concerns regarding the circulation of CCTV footage, private telephone conversations, and an apology letter attributed to the deceased student. The parents argue that the unauthorized dissemination of these personal items warrants immediate legal scrutiny and accountability. Furthermore, the petition formally alleges that the police have not handled the investigation with the level of seriousness mandated by law, failing to address potential institutional negligence.
The parents have explicitly sought an investigation into claims of abetment of suicide, specifically pointing toward the actions and alleged illegal omissions of individuals in positions of authority at IIT-Bombay. This development comes as Sahil’s father, Ravindra Wakode, has engaged in a hunger strike to publicly press for justice and a more thorough examination of the events leading up to his son’s death. The family’s frustration with the initial police response has been a consistent theme throughout their pursuit of a deeper inquiry.
The incident, which took place within the Powai campus, prompted reactions from the student community, with reports of protests occurring in the days following the event. While the institute maintains that the student was caught using a mobile phone during a test, the family’s legal representatives and supporters are questioning the systemic environment within the college. Previous accounts from the family have emphasized that Sahil was academically proficient and had aspirations for a career in the Civil Services, with his parents noting that there had been nothing in his behavior to suggest any such extreme outcome.
As the legal proceedings progress, the focus remains on whether the judiciary will grant the request for an external investigation body to take over the case from the local police. The outcome of the petition is expected to dictate the future direction of the probe, particularly regarding the allegations of caste bias and the systemic handling of disciplinary issues at the premier institute. The high-profile nature of the case, involving a student of a top national university, has kept the spotlight firmly on the demands for institutional accountability and procedural fairness.
For now, the family awaits a decision from the Bombay High Court on their request for oversight and the transfer of the case. The legal battle highlights the intersection of institutional responsibility and the rights of students within elite academic spaces. As the case reaches the courts, the primary goal for the Wakode family remains the establishment of an impartial, high-level probe that accounts for all factors surrounding the untimely death of their son.
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