Legal group seeks action against lawyers, IIT-B prof for making claims of casteism on IIT-B campus

MUMBAI: Amid allegations by the parents of the second-year IIT-Bombay student that caste-based discrimination contributed to their child’s death, the Legal Rights Observatory (LRO), a volunteer collective, has lodged a complaint with Mumbai police commissioner Deven Bharti and other senior police officers against advocates Navneet and Mihir Desai, IIT-Bombay sociology professor Suryakant Waghmore, two students and others

MUMBAI: Amid allegations by the parents of the second-year IIT-Bombay student that caste-based discrimination contributed to their child’s death, the Legal Rights Observatory (LRO), a volunteer collective, has lodged a complaint with Mumbai police commissioner Deven Bharti and other senior police officers against advocates Navneet and Mihir Desai, IIT-Bombay sociology professor Suryakant Waghmore, two students and others.

In its complaint, the LRO has alleged that the accused spread false information claiming that casteism is rampant on the IIT-Bombay campus and made provocative social media posts aimed at fuelling caste-based unrest, provoking violence and creating social divisions along caste lines in connection with the student’s recent suicide. The organisation has also alleged a conspiracy to divide society along caste lines.

The LRO has sought action under relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the National Security Act (NSA) and the Maharashtra Special Public Security Act, 2025.

According to the complaint, the social media posts were allegedly intended to create social unrest, provoke violence and deepen caste divisions. These are allegations made by the LRO and have not been independently established.