The parents of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode have approached the Bombay High Court seeking an independent investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation or a Special Investigation Team into their son’s death on September 18, alleging caste-based harassment and police lapses.
The petition filed by Ravindra and Sonali Wakode through advocate Hitendra Gandhi is expected to be mentioned before the court on Monday. It asks that the investigation be monitored by a retired judge, stating that the Powai police have not handled the case with the seriousness it requires.
Powai police had earlier registered a case of abetment of suicide and other offences following the family’s complaint. The petition alleges that some faculty members and an examination invigilator made caste-based remarks against Sahil, a second-year BTech student at IIT Bombay. These allegations have not been established by a court.
According to the petition, Sahil told his parents during an earlier visit that he was being “tortured” and that casteist slurs had been directed at him. The family has also alleged that Professor Surayanarayan Doolla, who was the invigilator during the examination on September 18, had made caste-based remarks. The petition seeks action against those accused and an investigation into the circumstances preceding the student’s death.
The parents have asked the High Court to direct IIT Bombay to preserve all CCTV footage from the day of the incident. They have also sought safeguards to ensure that students and faculty members who may have witnessed events that day are not influenced while the investigation is conducted.
The petition further describes concerns raised by the family over caste identity and campus life. It states that Sahil wanted to display a portrait of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in his allotted room, but was advised by roommates that doing so could expose him to caste-based discrimination. The petition says Sahil informed his parents, who also advised him against displaying the portrait to avoid conflict.
The case places the focus on how complaints of discrimination and harassment are handled within premier higher education institutions, as well as on the investigative responsibilities of police and the preservation of evidence on campuses. The Hindu report also cited RTI-based information showing that several IITs have fewer mental-health counsellors than the number recommended in University Grants Commission guidelines, amid a rise in student suicides over the past five years. The supplied report did not provide institution-wise figures beyond noting that IIT Ropar was the only IIT identified as having enough counsellors under the recommendation.
The Bombay High Court’s consideration of the petition will determine the next procedural steps, including whether the request for a CBI or SIT investigation and judicial monitoring is taken up.
