Maharashtra Congress leaders on 3 October 2026 met the family of IIT-Bombay student Sahil Wakode, who died by suicide allegedly due to caste discrimination, at the Shanti Ashram in Mumbai. The meeting was led by Maharashtra Congress in-charge Sirivella Prasad and Maharashtra Congress State President Harshwardhan Sapkal, as the political and investigative focus on the case sharpened.

Congress Leaders Mobilise Around the Family

The delegation included All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary B.M. Sandeep, Rehana Chishti, U.B. Venkatesh, and Mumbai Congress President and Member of Parliament Varsha Gaikwad. During the meeting, Wakode's family discussed the case in detail with the leaders.

This visit came just two days after Mumbai Congress Youth President Zeenat Shabrin had also met the family. On 24 September, Gaikwad had visited Azad Maidan to meet Wakode's father, Ravindra Wakode, who had launched a sit-in protest demanding accountability for his son's death. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had earlier spoken to the family over the phone, expressing solidarity and assuring them of his full support in pursuing justice.

Crime Branch Interrogates Professor, IIT Director Next

The Mumbai Crime Branch has recorded the statement of Professor Suryanarayan Doolla, who was questioned for approximately eight hours. During interrogation, Professor Doolla denied all allegations against him, according to sources. Wakode's parents had named him in their police complaint, alleging that he harassed their son.

The Crime Branch is also expected to summon IIT-Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare shortly to record his statement as part of the ongoing probe. Investigators have so far recorded statements from around 50 people, including Wakode's parents and classmates. Police are additionally examining CCTV footage from the examination hall for evidence related to the events preceding Wakode's death.

What the CCTV Footage Reportedly Shows

Footage from 18 September reportedly showed Professor Doolla pulling Wakode aside after allegedly catching him using a mobile phone during an examination. Following Wakode's death, IIT-Bombay stated that the student had uploaded a question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers, but maintained that no formal disciplinary action had been initiated against him in connection with the incident.

Father's Allegation and IIT Faculty's Defence

Ravindra Wakode has claimed his son personally told him about being discriminated against by Professor Doolla. 'My son had told me about this discrimination, but I told him that it is difficult to secure admission to IIT and advised him to bear with it,' he told reporters.

Mumbai Police subsequently registered a case of abetment to suicide based on the complaint filed by the family. However, the IIT-Bombay faculty rallied behind Professor Doolla, arguing he was being targeted for carrying out his professional duties. Prof Rajkumar Pant, chief of the IIT-Bombay Faculty Forum, stated: 'The student indulged in malpractice during the examination. 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.'

What Happens Next

With the Crime Branch's probe widening to include the institute's director and CCTV evidence, and Congress leaders maintaining sustained political pressure, the case is set to remain in the national spotlight. The abetment-to-suicide case and the family's demands for justice are expected to be central to upcoming legal and administrative proceedings.