Mumbai Congress Chief Varsha Gaikwad Meets DGP Over IIT Bombay Student's Death, Seeks Action Against Professor

Mumbai Congress president and MP Varsha Gaikwad on Monday alleged that no action had been taken against the professor booked in connection with the death of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, even one-and-a-half months after the incident. She accused the authorities of delaying the investigation in the name of an inquiry and demanded immediate action against those responsible.

Mumbai Congress Delegation Meets Maharashtra DGP Sadanand Date

Gaikwad, accompanied by Wakode’s parents and a delegation of Mumbai Congress leaders, met Maharashtra Director General of Police Sadanand Date to raise the issue. The delegation included MLA Amin Patel, MLA Dr Jyoti Gaikwad, group leader Ashraf Azmi, spokesperson Sureshchandra Rajhans, Subhash Bhalerao and Jaywant Lokhande, among others.

Speaking after the meeting, Gaikwad alleged that while the authorities claimed an investigation was underway, CCTV footage related to the case had been made public, leading to what she described as an attempt to malign the deceased student. She pointed out that despite an FIR being registered, the professor named in the case had not faced any action.

Gaikwad Raises Concerns Over Student Deaths At IIT Bombay

She also raised concerns over the number of student deaths at IIT Bombay, claiming that 13 students had died by suicide at the institution in recent years. She said the circumstances behind such incidents needed to be examined and questioned whether the absence of stringent action was contributing to their recurrence.

According to Gaikwad, DGP Date assured the delegation that he would personally look into the matter, speak to Dr K. Radhakrishnan, chairman of the Board of Governors of IIT Bombay, and the Mumbai Police Commissioner, and bring the issue to the attention of the Chief Minister through the intelligence channel.

Congress seeks apology from BMC over removal of Dia Mirza’s video

Separately, Gaikwad demanded that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reinstate actor Dia Mirza’s video promoting a pollution-free Diwali and issue an unconditional public apology to her.

She alleged that while videos featuring other celebrities continued to be available on the civic body’s official platforms, Mirza’s video was removed due to pressure from the BJP. Calling the alleged differential treatment discriminatory, she said the civic administration should not allow religion to become a basis for discrimination.

Gaikwad said the BMC, as an institution established under the Constitution, was duty-bound to uphold equality and secular values. She also demanded that responsibility for the removal of the video be fixed and that the Municipal Commissioner be removed from the post.

“The BMC must immediately repost Dia Mirza’s video and issue an unconditional public apology to her,” Gaikwad said, adding that Mumbai’s identity was rooted in unity in diversity, communal harmony and an inclusive culture.

She said the Congress stood firmly with Mirza and maintained that divisive politics in the name of religion had no place in Mumbai.

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