Khatri had threatened Solanki 3 days before suicide, police tell special court
IIT-Bombay student Arman Iqbal Khatri has had his police custody extended for two days over charges of abetting his batchmate Darshan Solanki's suicide. Khatri had allegedly threatened Solanki with a paper cutter after being abused over his religion. Solanki killed himself three days later. Solanki's phone has been sent for a forensic test, and statements from other students are to be recorded. Khatri's phone has also been sent for analysis. The court has been set up to deal with cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
A special court on Thursday extended by two days the police custody of IIT-Bombay student Arman Iqbal Khatri, who was arrested on charges of abetting his batchmate Darshan Solanki’s suicide on February 12.
The public prosecutor told the court that investigation revealed that Khatri had on February 9 threatened Solanki with a paper cutter for abusing him over his religion and because of the threat, Solanki killed himself three days later.
Khatri’s mobile phone had been sent for a forensic analysis, and a report was expected by Thursday evening, the police said. The prosecutor further said that the police would have to check the phone messages exchanged between the two to ascertain the chronology of events from February 9 to 12.
Besides, Solanki’s mobile phone had been sent for a forensic test and the data on that phone too needed to be analysed, the police said. Statements of some other students would also be recorded, the prosecutor added.
After hearing the arguments, the court, which has been set up to deal with cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, sent Khatri to a further police remand till April 15.
Solanki, 18, a chemical engineering student, jumped from the seventh-floor refuge area of his hostel building on February 12 afternoon. Some students and a security guard immediately took him to the hospital on the IIT-B campus where doctors declared him brought dead.
On the next day, Solanki family members allegedly told the police that they did not suspect foul play. However, on February 16, when a Powai police team went to their residence in Ahmedabad, the family claimed that their son was a victim of caste-based discrimination prevailing at IIT-B.
On February 24, the state set up a three-member special investigation team (SIT) headed by Lakhmi Gautam, joint commissioner of police, crime branch.
Khatri was arrested on April 9 based on a ‘note’ found in Solanki’s room. It said, “Arman has killed me.” Solanki, according to the police, had written the words on the backside of one of his question papers.
On interrogation, the police learnt that Solanki had made an adverse comment on Khatri’s religion. Angry, Khatri removed a paper cutter and allegedly threatened Solanki that he would not spare him, a senior officer, who is part of the SIT, said.
Khatri’s initial police custody ended on Thursday.
