Tamil Nadu government transfers IIT-M student’s suicide case to CBI

Fathima Latheef from Kerala’s Kozhikode had committed suicide in her hostel room in IIT-M campus on November 9. Her father Abdul Latheef had alleged that religious discrimination at the IIT-M campus had driven her to kill herself.

Thirty-six days after a 19-year-old woman student of IIT-Madras committed suicide, the Tamil Nadu government on Saturday referred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) citing a communique from the Centre suggesting the transfer.

Fathima Latheef’s father had claimed that there were some notes left by his daughter on her mobile phone, though no suicide note was found from her room. (PTI File Photo)

The move came after Madras High Court on Friday questioned why the state government should not transfer the case to the central agency.

Fathima Latheef from Kerala’s Kozhikode had committed suicide in her hostel room in IIT-M campus on November 9. Her father Abdul Latheef had alleged that religious discrimination at the IIT-M campus had driven her to kill herself.

He had recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. After meeting Amit Shah, Latheef said the Union minister had promised to initiate a probe by CBI.

The state government’s order shifting the case from the Central Crime Branch and Crime Investigation Department (CBCID) to CBI said the decision was taken after the Tamil Nadu director general of police (DGP) JK Tripathy and Chennai City Police commissioner AK Viswanathan had given their nod for the transfer.

“Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit had also extended his consent to the extension of powers and jurisdiction of members of the Delhi Special Police Establishment in the whole of the state of Tamil Nadu to investigate the case…” the state government’s notification read.

Fathima Latheef’s father had claimed that there were some notes left by his daughter on her mobile phone, though no suicide note was found from her room.

He also alleged that in her notes on the phone she had accused IIT-M professor Sudharsan Padmanaban. Latheef charged Padmanaban of religious discrimination against his daughter.