Highly disappointed with CBI probe, says father of IIT Madras student who committed suicide

The father of IIT Madras student Fathima Latheef, who committed suicide last month, on Monday said he is "highly disappointed" with the CBI probe into his 19-year old daughter's death and the investigators' failure to communicate with the family.

"Though the case has been transferred to the CBI from the Chennai Crime Branch (CCB), no one has contacted us till now," Abdul Latheef told PTI over the phone from Kollam.

"It has been more than 40 days since she died. Me and my family members, including her mother Sajitha, are crying daily as we have not got justice so far," he said.

He denied as "101 per cent fake news" media reports stating that the CCB had given a clean chit to three professors of IIT Madras against whom Fathima had made allegations in her suicide note of being responsible for her death.

"How is it possible for the media to know the details as the CCB had given its report on the progress of investigation to the court in a sealed cover," he asked.

The media reports, quoting sources, had claimed that the CCB had given a clean chit to the three IIT professors whom Fathima had named in her suicide note.

The probe team had disclosed its report to the Tamil Nadu Home Department in which it notified that there was no evidence against the professors for inciting the student to commit suicide.

The report claimed the CCB came to the conclusion of exonerating the professors after examining more than hundred people including Fathima's friends and family and IIT's staff and faculty members.

"I am highly disappointed," the father said, adding that there was absolutely no communication from the probe agency.

Originally the case was registered by the Kotturpuram police of Chennai and later transferred to the CCB. The investigation was transferred to CBI when Abdul Latheef and Sajitha, with a delegation of Kerala MPs, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on December 5 and sought justice for their daughter.

The deceased student, hailing from Kollam in Kerala, was pursuing her first year under graduation in the humanities stream (five year integrated MA programme). She reportedly committed suicide on November 9 by hanging from a ceiling fan.

Her family had found Fathima's suicide notes on her mobile phone.

Abdul Latheef had alleged in Chennai immediately after his daughter's death that he had evidence to prove that Fathima was being harassed by some professors in the department of Humanities and Social Sciences.

He wanted a fair probe as he was concerned that her phone may be tampered with.