IIT Bombay Professor Sent On Leave After Case Filed Over Student Sahil Wakode’s Death

IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla has been sent on leave after a case was registered against him in connection with the death of 22-year-old student Sahil Wakode, as per reports.

Doolla has been booked on charges relating to alleged abetment and caste discrimination. He is also expected to appear before the police on Wednesday for questioning.

Professor Removed As Dean After Student Protests

Doolla was removed as the dean of Administrative Affairs on Monday following protests by students over Wakode's death.

Wakode, a second-year BTech student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was found hanging in his hostel room on the evening of September 18. The incident occurred hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during an examination.

Student’s Mother Alleges Caste-Based Harassment

Wakode's mother, Sonali Wakode, has alleged that her son told the family he was being tortured, abused and humiliated because of his caste.

She claimed that Wakode specifically named Doolla and alleged that the professor had made caste-based remarks against him. According to her, her son told the family that such treatment had continued for around three months.

She also said that when the family met Wakode in his hostel room on September 13, he told them that he was being subjected to torture and abuse.

The allegations have not been independently established.

Faculty Forum Says No Recent Complaint Was Made To SC/ST Cell

IIT Bombay Faculty Forum president Rajkumar Pant said Wakode had not approached the institute's SC/ST cell with any complaint in the recent past.

Meanwhile, Wakode's mother questioned the institute's initial claim that her son had been caught using ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination. She said that anyone making allegations of cheating should provide evidence.

IIT Bombay Withdraws Earlier Statement On ChatGPT Claim

IIT Bombay on Monday apologised for its earlier communication regarding the circumstances preceding Wakode's death.

The institute said the details surrounding the incident remained subject to investigation and acknowledged that it was inappropriate to characterise events before they had been established through the proper investigative process.

The police investigation into the circumstances surrounding Wakode's death and the allegations against Doolla is continuing.