The investigation into the alleged suicide of Darshan Solanki, an IIT Mumbai student, has taken a significant step forward with the arrest of his roommate, Arman Iqbal Khatri, by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Mumbai Police. Khatri stands accused of abetment of suicide due to alleged communal remarks made by Solanki, which aggrieved him.

The SIT has invoked IPC 305, IPC 306, and the Prevention of the SC/ST Atrocities Act against Khatri. Speaking to The Mooknayak, SIT Chief Lakhmi Gautam confirmed that the accused is in remand until April 13.

However, the victim's father, Ramesh Bhai Solanki, has called for a more in-depth investigation. He told The Mooknayak, "Arman Iqbal Khatri should be punished severely, but since Darshan was exposed to caste discrimination, that aspect should also be investigated. Also, one person cannot be solely responsible for his death; others should also be probed." The father's demand for a broader investigation into caste angles suggests that the case may take more time to resolve. The latest development indicates that the investigation into Solanki's death is moving in a new direction, and more details are expected in the coming days.

The Suicide

Darshan Solanki allegedly committed suicide on February 12th by jumping off the seventh floor of his hostel building. In response, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) formed a committee the following day. The committee was led by Professor Nand Kishore from the department of chemistry and included 12 members. Five members of the committee were from the Dalit and Adivasi communities, including three faculty members and two students. During the investigation, 79 people offered testimony before the committee.

However, the findings of the interim report, titled "Interim Report of the Committee to Investigate Tragic Incident that Happened on 12.2.2023 Involving Darshan Solanki," were met with criticism from various student organizations, such as the Ambedkar Periyar study circle of IIT Mumbai. The report suggested that "deteriorating academic performance" may have been the cause of Solanki's suicide, without elaborating on why his academic performance might have deteriorated, or why he would regularly skip classes and sleep excessively. The internal committee's findings have been disputed, with Solanki's father demanding a broader investigation into caste angles.

The SIT

In response to the growing concerns and the disputed findings of the internal committee, the state government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on February 27, headed by Joint Commissioner of Police (crime) Lakhmi Gautam. The SIT, which includes Krishnakant Upadhyay and Assistant Commissioner of Police Jai Prakash Bhosale, has been tasked with conducting a more in-depth investigation into the matter. With the SIT now in charge of the investigation, more information is expected to unfold in the coming days.