The Mumbai Crime Branch questioned IIT-Bombay Professor Suryanarayana Doolla for nearly 10 hours in connection with the death of second-year student Sahil Wakode, focusing on what happened between the professor and the student inside the examination hall shortly before Sahil returned to his hostel room.
The Crime Branch is verifying Doolla’s statement against evidence collected during the investigation. CCTV footage reportedly captures the examination-hall incident and Sahil subsequently returning to his hostel room. The students have been protesting for the past 15 days and decided to intensify their agitation after Sahil’s parents, who are on hunger strike at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, were denied permission by police to continue their protest on weekends, news agency PTI reported.
Investigators questioned Doolla about the alleged confrontation after Sahil was reportedly found using a phone during an examination, the conversation between the two, any previous interaction, and allegations of caste-based remarks and harassment made by Sahil’s family.
Doolla, who was named in the FIR based on a complaint by Sahil’s family, denied allegations of harassment as well as any casteist remarks during the questioning, according to sources.
The Crime Branch is now comparing his statement with CCTV footage, witness statements and other evidence collected during the investigation. Their key demands include an independent and transparent investigation into Wakode’s death, changes to the inquiry committee appointed by the institute, the resignation of IIT-Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare, and the suspension of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who has been accused of caste-based discrimination by Wakode’s parents. Doolla was questioned about the events leading up to Sahil Wakode’s death and his interactions with Sahil, particularly what happened during the examination on September 18.
