Investigation sidelines incidence of caste discrimination, alleges Darshan Solanki’s father

The family of Darshan Solanki, an IIT-Bombay student who died by suicide in February, has alleged that the Special Investigation Team formed by the state government to investigate his death has sidelined caste discrimination. They have submitted testimonies about how Darshan faced caste discrimination and are seeking intervention from the chief minister, home minister, and police commissioner in the investigation. The police have denied these allegations and said that the probe is still ongoing.

Mumbai: An investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the state government to investigate the death of Darshan Solanki, a first-year B.Tech (Chemical) student at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) sidelined caste discrimination, alleged Solanki family along with former Rajya Sabha MP Bhalchandra Mungekar at a press conference on Thursday.

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The family is now seeking intervention from the chief minister, home minister and police commissioner in the investigation. Darshan, died by suicide on February 12.

Darshan’s father Solanki said, “After struggling to get an FIR filed, we are now concerned that SIT has sidelined incidents of caste discrimination. We have already submitted various testimonies of caste discrimination that Darshan faced at IIT-B.”

In the second week of April, Darshan’s sister, Janvi Solanki, stumbled upon Darshan’s chat with an Instagram user. “On February 7, just a few days before Darshan’s demise, a user asked Darshan his IIT-JEE rank. On divulging, the user stopped conversing with Darshan,” said Janvi.

Ramesh added, “Darshan had confided to his sister that when his peers learned that he is from the SC community, they would call him out and say… ‘dalit aaya..dalit aaya’ (look, the Dalit is here) when he would try to join them during group studies or meal hours. His classmate from SC category has mentioned to the IIT Bombay internal committee that Darshan was sensitive about his caste and often thought about what others would think about a reserved category student studying in an institute like IIT Bombay,” said Ramesh.

After submitting testimonies about how Darshan faced caste discrimination, Mungekar said, “Police registered a case against Darshan’s classmate Arman Khatri under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and Indian Penal Code. How is SIT then denying to investigate caste discrimination?”

Added Janvi, “The Powai police have not provided us with clone copies of Darshan’s seized electronic devices, even after repeated demands. We fear that more instances of caste-based discrimination will be buried under the guise of an investigation.”

Responding to the allegations, joint commissioner of police Lakshmi Gautam, crime branch, said

SIT’s investigation has not closed yet, the probe is still going on. “We have investigated all points raised by Darshan Solanki’s family members. There is nothing specific which was raised by family and was ignored.”

“Regarding Sam Rajput’s chat with Darshan, we scrutinised all chats between them and Sam has not made any comments related to his caste. Sam is not a student of IIT. The SIT has not found anything against Sam. During investigations if we find any evidence against anyone the legal action will be taken, added Gautam.