Mumbai, September 23, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Mumbai Police on Wednesday said the investigation into the death of IIT Bombay student Sahil Ravindra Wakode is being conducted impartially and that all possible angles are being examined. The police also appealed to the public to avoid speculation, misinformation and premature conclusions.
Police said a case was initially registered at Powai Police Station following Wakode’s death and was subsequently transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch as DCB CID C.R. No. 124/2026. The investigation has been entrusted to an Assistant Commissioner of Police-rank officer and is being supervised by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Detection-I, Crime Branch.
“The investigation is being conducted diligently and impartially, exploring all possible angles,” police said.
The Crime Branch has also urged the public and individuals connected with the case not to circulate unverified information. Police asked the media to rely on information issued through official channels.
A key part of the ongoing investigation is Wakode’s iPhone, which police said has not yet been unlocked. According to officials, investigators are seeking technical assistance to access the device, which they believe could provide further clarity regarding allegations surrounding the use of ChatGPT.
The Crime Branch is also expected to record statements from some students as part of the investigation.
Meanwhile, IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla has been sent on leave amid the probe into Wakode’s death, sources said.
A case has been registered against Doolla over allegations including abetment to suicide and caste-based discrimination. The allegations are under investigation.
Wakode, 20, was a second-year B.Tech student in IIT Bombay’s Department of Energy Science and Engineering. He was found hanging in his hostel room on the Powai campus on the evening of September 18, hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone during a mid-semester examination.
Doolla, who teaches in the same department and was reportedly serving as an invigilator during the examination, had reported the alleged mobile phone use to institute authorities.
Initial reports had suggested that Wakode used the phone to upload the examination question paper to an artificial intelligence platform. IIT Bombay subsequently refrained from providing a detailed characterisation of the incident, stating that the matter remained under investigation.
Police said the probe is continuing and urged people to await verified findings rather than draw conclusions while the investigation is underway.
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