IIT Bombay sets up 10-member panel to probe student Sahil Wakode's death; Crime Branch takes over case

IIT Bombay has constituted a 10-member committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the death of Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a 20-year-old second-year B.Tech student at the institute. The panel was set up by the institute's Board, and its formation was announced on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.

The committee may question Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who has been named in the police case, an official said. Prof. Doolla has been sent on leave, a step sources described as intended to allow the inquiry to proceed without bias.

The Mumbai Police have transferred the investigation into Wakode's death to the Crime Branch. An officer of the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police will lead the probe, with the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detection-I) supervising it. The case is registered at the Powai police station.

On Monday, September 21, 2026, Prof. Doolla was removed from his post as Dean, Administrative Affairs, following protests on campus over the student's death.

Wakode was a second-year B.Tech student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. The police found his body in his hostel room on the evening of September 18, 2026, hours after institute authorities observed him using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during a semester examination.

The Powai police registered a First Information Report on September 19, 2026. The FIR, which names Prof. Doolla, was based on a complaint by Ravindra Wakode, the father of the deceased student. The charges include abetment of suicide, along with sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The investigation was subsequently handed to the Crime Branch.

An FIR is the formal registration of a complaint and marks the start of a police investigation. It is not a finding of guilt, and no charge sheet has been filed in this matter. Prof. Doolla has been named in the case; the allegations against him have not been established in any court, and he retains the right to respond to them through the legal process.

The Crime Branch has begun examining the circumstances of the death, including Wakode's movements and the sequence of events that preceded it. Investigators were looking at various angles in the case, the police said, adding that the probe was being conducted with diligence and impartiality and would continue as per law.

The Mumbai Police have urged the public to refrain from speculation, from spreading misinformation and from drawing conclusions before the facts are known. The police have also asked the media to rely only on information released through official channels.

Classes have resumed at IIT Bombay.

Assistance for those dealing with suicidal thoughts is available on Tele-MANAS 14416 and Sneha's suicide prevention helpline, 044-24640050.