The institute’s original account, issued on September 19, focused on an examination incident earlier on the day Sahil died.
IIT Bombay said Sahil had been found using a mobile phone during an examination. According to its initial statement, he had uploaded the examination question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers.
The institute said no disciplinary action had been initiated against him. It said the matter was discussed with Sahil by the instructor and the Head of Department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not affect his academic career.
According to that account, Sahil later returned to his hostel room and was subsequently found dead.
The institute has now retracted its earlier characterisation of the circumstances surrounding the death, saying the matter should be left to the appropriate authorities investigating the case.
Faculty Forum backs Professor Doolla
The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum, meanwhile, has expressed solidarity with Professor Suryanarayana Doolla.
The forum said Doolla was following the institute’s approved academic procedures when he noticed a student using a smartphone without authorisation during the examination.
According to the forum, Doolla was invigilating the mid-semester examination between 11 am and 1 pm on September 18 when he saw the student using the phone.
The forum described the incident as “academic malpractice” and said the professor reported it to the institute authorities as required under the approved procedure.
It said the professor was merely carrying out his academic responsibilities and expressed concern over what it called the tarnishing of his reputation.
The Faculty Forum also offered its condolences to Sahil’s family.
The competing accounts have added another layer to the controversy, with Sahil’s family alleging harassment while the faculty body maintains that the professor was following institutional procedures.
Police case transferred to Crime Branch
The Mumbai Police has transferred the case to the Crime Branch amid the allegations surrounding Sahil’s death.
His father filed a police complaint alleging harassment and caste-based discrimination against his son.
Following the complaint, an FIR was registered against Professor Suryanarayana Doolla. The complaint alleges that casteist remarks were made against Sahil over a period of around three months.
The case has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The allegations have not been established in court, and the investigation is ongoing.