Crime branch recorded the statements of Sahil Wakode’s parents
Wakode’s father, Ravindra, has told investigators that he last spoke to his son on Sept 13, five days before he died by suicide. Preliminary inquiries have confirmed that Wakode was caught using his phone during a mid-semester exam, which the professor had invigilated, said a police officer.
Police said CCTV footage and call detail reports of Wakode are significant, and have sent his phone for a forensic analysis. Police said Wakode’s last calls, messages and other digital activity could be significant to the investigation. The crime branch has taken possession of CCTV footage from the institute and is looking at recordings from the exam hall, the hostel and other locations to reconstruct the sequence of events before his death. Wakode’s parents have asked police to show them the CCTV footage that allegedly shows him cheating. Investigators are cross-checking footage from multiple cameras to establish the students’ movements between the exam and the death and identify people who interacted with him. Police are also gathering information on any complaint he raised about being subjected to caste-based slurs.
Sources said the initial investigation has not found any prima facie evidence indicating Doolla’s role in Wakode’s death.