IIT Bombay Faculty Forum Defends Doolla: IIT Bombay Faculty Forum president Professor Rajkumar S. Pant has defended Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, saying he was "vilified for no reason" amid the row over student Sahil Wakode's death by suicide. Speaking to India Today's Rajdeep Sardesai, Pant insisted Doolla was merely performing invigilation duty and should not be prejudged.

His comments came even as fresh CCTV footage surfaced showing Wakode leaving the examination hall on September 18, students pushed an 18-point charter of demands, and police continued probing caste-harassment allegations under the SC/ST Act.

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'Doolla Has Been Vilified for No Reason'

Pant said the Faculty Forum firmly believes Doolla was simply discharging his duties as an invigilator when the alleged examination malpractice was detected. He stated there is "absolutely no proof" and "no confirmation of any caste remarks" made by Doolla, insisting conclusions must wait until the inquiry is complete.

Clarifying Doolla's Status

Pant clarified that Doolla was not suspended, only relieved of his administrative role as Dean while the inquiry proceeds. The Board of Governors kept his deanship in abeyance and asked him to take a week's leave, but he "still is and will be a professor of the institute in good standing."

'We Are Limiting It to Academic Malpractice'

Addressing the student protests, Pant said the Faculty Forum's focus remains on the examination-day incident, not on turning the matter into a caste confrontation. Students, meanwhile, have submitted an 18-point charter demanding an independent probe, procedural reforms, greater representation and stronger mental-health support, seeking an interim report by September 30 and a final one by October 15.

'I Have Not Seen Clear-Cut Caste Bias'

On allegations that caste discrimination contributed to Wakode's distress, Pant said he hadn't personally witnessed overt caste bias in his 39 years at the institute, though he acknowledged such issues exist in wider society. Wakode's family has alleged caste-based harassment, and Mumbai Police have registered a case invoking the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

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Fresh CCTV Footage and the Road Ahead

New CCTV visuals reviewed by investigators show Wakode leaving the examination hall between roughly 12:30 pm and 12:45 pm on September 18; the Crime Branch is piecing together his movements from campus and hostel footage. Pant, calling students and faculty "a family," urged patience until the inquiry concludes- a probe now central to determining what happened both inside the exam hall and beyond.