IIT Bombay Suicide Case: Accused Arman Khatri Remanded To Police Custody Till April 15

Amid investigation into the matter, a special SC/ST court has extended the police custody of Arman Khatri, the accused in the IIT Bombay suicide case till April 15.

IIT Bombay Campus At Powai, Mumbai ( Image Source :IIT Bombay )

In the IIT Bombay suicide case, the accused ‘Arman Khatri,’ who is also a classmate of Darshan Solanki, has been sent to police custody till April 15. The accused was produced before a special SC/CT court today, where the court extended his police custody till April 15. On Sunday, February 12, Darshan Solanki, a first-year student at IIT Bombay, aged 18, allegedly committed suicide by jumping from the eighth floor of the hostel building. Following the incident, the Mumbai Police Commissioner formed an SIT to probe into the matter. 

On March 3, the SIT recovered a ‘suicide note’ purportedly written by Darshan Solanki. In the note, Darshan wrote that "Arman has killed me." As per media reports, the Mumbai Police received a report from handwriting experts confirming that the note was written by Darshan Solanki himself. Darshan was a native of Ahmedabad, and a first year B.Tech student at IIT Bombay. The police reportedly rushed to the spot after the incident and rushed Darshan to a hospital where he was declared dead. 

On APril 9, the SIT arrested Darshan Solanki’s classmate Arman Iqbal Khatri in connection with the suicide. He was arrested on charges of abetting suicide under under various sections of the SC/ST Act. On April 12, the Mumbai Police also recovered the paper cutter which Arman had allegedly used to threaten Solanki. “Mumbai Police SIT team has recovered the cutter from the room of accused Arman Khatri. Accused Khatri had allegedly used this cutter to threaten Solanki after which he was under immense pressure,” the Mumbai Police said. 

While a probe into the matter is still on, several reports have been doing rounds on the internet alleging casteist discrimination with Darshan at IIT Bombay. However, the IIT Bombay administration has denied all such claims and said that the institute has been cooperating in the investigation.