The IIT Bombay student, whose death by suicide has triggered an abetment case, was caught using a mobile phone in the examination hall, the institute had earlier said. The CCTV footage from the examination hall has now emerged, showing Sahil Wakode being pulled aside by an invigilator last Friday (September 18).
Wearing a black t-shirt, Wakode is seen seated in a front-row seat when an invigilator, Prof Suryanarayana Doolla, stops by and speaks to him. He gets up from the bench briefly, sits back, and then hands over his mobile phone to the invigilator, the CCTV footage shows.
The conversation between Wakode and Doolla then continues for some time before he starts gathering his belongings and appears to leave the examination hall.
Hours later, the 22-year-old second-year student was found hanging in his hostel room.
Condoling his death, IIT Bombay had said the student was found using his mobile phone during an examination earlier in the day. He had uploaded the question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers, a statement read, adding that no disciplinary action was initiated against him.
The CCTV footage serves as crucial evidence in the suicide case, with investigators trying to determine what had happened during the last 20 minutes of the exam.
Wakode's parents later alleged he faced harassment at the institute and had told them about caste discrimination. His father, Ravindra Wakode, and mother, Sonali, have demanded the arrest of Prof Doolla, accusing him of discriminating against their son
"Doolla used to discriminate against my son. My son had told me about this discrimination, but I told him it's difficult to secure admission in IIT. I told him to bear with it," Ravindra Wakode had told reporters.
The IIT Bombay's faculty, however, came out in support of Prof Doolla, stating that he is being maligned for just doing his job.
"The student indulged in malpractice during the exam. Prof Doolla reported the matter to the head of the department. If a professor is being vilified just for discharging his duties, then it is a problem for the entire teaching community in the country," Prof Rajkumar Pant, chief of IIT Bombay Faculty Forum, told media.
The institute has removed Prof Doolla as the dean of students welfare. Sources suggest he has now been sent on leave.
An abetment to suicide case has been filed against several people based on a complaint by Wakode's father, Mumbai Police has confirmed.
