Pianist’s death in Mumbai: Karan’s last 2 calls to friends in US, Sri Lanka were about work, say police

They had normal conversation with Karan and nothing was found in their statement that could point towards a probable cause for committing suicide

The Bandra police investigating the alleged suicide case of 29-year-old pianist Karan Joseph have recorded the statement of two of his friends, to whom pianist had spoken to just an hour before committing suicide on September 9.

Karan Joseph(HT FILE)

They had normal conversation with Karan and nothing was found in their statement that could point towards a probable cause for committing suicide. The statements were recorded through video call as his friends reside in the US and Sri Lanka, said an official.

“We have recorded the statement of a US-based woman, who was friends with Karan and had spoken to him around 8am but it was a normal discussion related to their work and routine life. The second call was made to a friend in Sri Lanka whom Karan had asked about a video clip of their program where they had worked together and was delated from Karan’s phone. So he asked his friend if he could send him the clip,” said police official.

We have recorded statements of more than 10 people including his friends, neighbours and relatives. Some of them alleged that Karan was suffering from financial crises while few of them said he was financially well to do but little tense about his work, added the official.

Karan had made eight calls an hour before he jumped from the 12th floor of a building at Bandstand. Of the eight calls only two of his friends answered the call. “The police have got no leads related to abetment as of now. The mobile phone, blood samples and viscera has been sent to FSL and now we are waiting for the forensic report,” said official of Bandra police.

The police added that Karan was very active on his mobile phone and wrote several text and WhatsApp messages to his friends. The police said his phone and the phones of his friends have been sent to the Forensic Lab to find out what he was speaking about on the day of suicide and for the past few days.