Mere allegations in a suicide note is not sufficient to draw conclusions in a case of abetment, a Mumbai court has said in its order granting bail to an Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay student in the suicide case of Darshan Solanki, PTI reported on Wednesday.
Arman Khatri, a batchmate of Solanki who died by suicide in February, had been arrested in April. A sessions court granted bail to Khatri on Saturday but the detailed order was made available on Wednesday.
Solanki’s family had claimed that he faced caste discrimination at IIT-Bombay as he belonged to the Dalit community. However, an inquiry committee set up by the institute had dismissed the allegations and hinted at “deteriorating academic performance” as the reason for Solanki’s death.
During investigation, the police found a suicide note in Solanki’s room where he had alleged that Khatri threatened him with a cutter.
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A Special Investigation Team looking into Solanki’s suicide had booked Khatri on charges of abetment of suicide, criminal intimidation and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
In the bail order made public on Wednesday, the Mumbai court said that there was noting on record to show that Khatri had harassed Solanki over his caste. Special Judge AP Kanade also observed that except for the mention of a paper cutter, there was no evidence to show that Khatri instigated Solanki towards suicide, The Indian Express reported.
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