Stories
Sahil Wakode Suicide Case: Police Question 60 As Professor Denies Harassment Allegations
- •The Mumbai Crime Branch has recorded statements from around 60 people in the IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode suicide case.
- •Accused Professor Suryanarayana Doula denied all harassment allegations during his interrogation.
- •Professor Doula claimed he only asked Sahil to leave the exam hall after catching him cheating with a mobile phone.
- •Sahil Wakode was found hanging in his hostel room on the Powai campus on September 18 after the exam incident.
Key Questions Answered
During his interrogation by the Mumbai Crime Branch, Professor Suryanarayana Doula denied all harassment allegations and stated that he merely caught Sahil cheating with a mobile phone, took his exam paper, and asked him to leave the hall. He also asserted that he has never discriminated against any student on the basis of caste during his entire tenure at IIT Bombay.
NCSC Chairman Kishor Makwana conducted a spot inquiry at IIT Bombay, holding discussions with senior administrators and examining the examination room, hostel room, and department premises. The Commission scrutinized protocols followed during the exam and emphasized preserving all records, electronic communications, and CCTV footage for objective investigation.
CCTV footage from the exam hall showed Sahil looking at something in his pocket around 12:30 PM, where he allegedly attempted to use a mobile phone and ChatGPT to answer questions. Professor Suryanarayana Doula was then seen separating Sahil from other students and directing him to leave the examination hall shortly before the paper ended.
