IIT Bombay student suicide case: SIT to slap sections of SC/ST Act on accused Arman Khatri

SIT officers said they have charged Khatri with relevant sections of the SC/ST Act as he was aware that Solanki belonged to a backward caste. The SIT, however, said they have not found any instance of Solanki having faced caste-based harassment at the institute, which would have pushed him to die by suicide as claimed by his parents. The SIT is likely to file a chargesheet in the case on Tuesday.

An officer from SIT overseeing the probe said during investigation, they found that two days before he jumped from his hostel building on February 11 this year, Solanki had a fight wiht Khatri when the duo were alone in a room where they were to wash their clothes.

“Solanki said something obscene about Khatri’s religion, after which the latter threatened him of dire consequences. Even though Solanki apologised to Khatri and the two hugged each other, Solanki was scared that Khatri would harm him,” said the officer.

“Solanki eventually jumped from his hostel building. He left behind a note saying ‘Arman has killed me’, which will form the crux of our case. Handwriting analysis by the CID confirmed that the handwriting in the suicide note is of Solanki,” said the officer.

The officer added they have also recorded the statements of some of Solanki’s friends, who confirmed that he was scared that Khatri would harm him.

On allegations by Solanki’s family that he was pushed to take the drastic step due to caste-based harassment he faced at the institute, the officer said, “We have recorded the statements of several people, including those who were named by Solanki’s parents. However, none of them gave any specific input about Solanki facing caste-based harassment,” he said.

On why the SIT is planning to charge Khatri under the SC/ST Act, the officer said that they have invoked Sections 3(ii)(v) and 3(II)(va) of the SC/ST Act which says whoever, not being a member of the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, commits any offence under the IPC against a person (knowing that such a person is a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe) shall be punished with imprisonment for life and with fine.

“The section clearly states that knowing a person belongs to a Scheduled Caste or Tribe is enough to invoke this section, even if it is not specifically caste-based discrimination,” the officer added.

On February 12 this year, Darshan Solanki jumped off the eighth floor of his hostel building on the IIT Bombay campus in Powai, a day after his semester exams got over. Soon after an accidental death report was registered at Powai police station, the state government formed an SIT under joint commissioner (crime) Lakhmi Gautam to oversee the probe.

The team then found a suicide note in Solanki’s hostel room, following which an FIR was registered and Khatri was arrested. Khatri was eventually released on bail by a special SC/ST court on May 7.