IIT-Bombay student suicide: Khatri booked for criminal intimidation and offence against SC, ST member

The police told the special court that Khatri will now also face charges under section 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 3 (2) (va) (committing an offence against a person, knowing that such person is a member of a scheduled caste or tribe) of the SC/ST Act. The charge of criminal intimidation was added against Khatri for allegedly threatening Solanki with a paper cutter.

Khatri is also facing charges under other sections, including 306 (abetment of suicide) the IPC.

While the police, in its remand plea, sought Khatri’s seven-day custody for further probe, Special Public Prosecutor Veena Shelar sought Khatri’s custody for “two or three days” citing ongoing exams at IIT. She said that police have not been able to record the statements of the hostel mates of Khatri and Solanki.

The investigating officer told the court that 12 students, including Khatri and Solanki, lived in six rooms on the 8th floor of the hostel located at the IIT’s Powai campus. The officer added that Solanki had allegedly made a communal remark in a conversation with Khatri, following which the 19-year-old threatened Solanki.

The police claimed that Solanki had apologised multiple times to him. But Khatri threatened to kill Solanki by showing him a paper cutter, which has been recovered, they added.

Police also alleged that Khatri had changed his phone after the incident and both his phones have now been sent for forensic analysis. “Data from the phones might reveal chats between the two,” the officer said.

Shelar said the forensic analysis of Solanki’s phone was expected and Khatri’s custody was needed to confront him with the new information. Police ftold the court that events between April 8 and 10 led to Solanki’s suicide on April 12. They added that students who are part of these events will be probed. Lawyer Dinesh Gupta, representing Khatri, said that the police on Sunday had sought his custody on the same grounds as mentioned in Thursday’s remand plea. Gupta said that since the cutter has been recovered and the statements recorded, his custody was not required.

However, Special Judge A P Kanade said that based on the investigation report filed by the police, further police custody of the accused is justified.