The Delhi High Court has intervened in the investigation surrounding the tragic suicide of a Class 10 student from the elite St Columba's School, directing the police to submit a detailed status report. This move comes after the boy's father filed a petition alleging a biased and sluggish investigation by the Delhi Police, demanding the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Father's Allegations of Police Inaction and Bias
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna issued a formal notice to the Delhi Police on Thursday, December 4, 2025. Represented by advocate Pritish Sabharwal, the grieving father presented a series of serious allegations before the court. He stated that the police recorded the parents' statements only on December 3, more than two weeks after the incident on November 18. The family remains in the dark about whether the four teachers named in the suicide note have even been questioned.
The father's plea strongly contends that the investigation "appears to be biased" and is intentionally protecting the accused. He accused the police of "acting under influence and pressure." Specific procedural lapses were highlighted, including an alleged delay of over four hours in registering the First Information Report (FIR). The father further claimed that police attempted to dictate the FIR's contents by advising him not to mention the school's name.
The Tragic Incident and Immediate Fallout
The 16-year-old student ended his life by jumping at the Rajendra Place Metro station. In a heart-wrenching suicide note, he explicitly cited "mental harassment" by his teachers as the reason for his extreme step. The note, according to the legal plea, clearly denotes the level of harassment that led to the suicide, which could constitute the offence of abetment.
Following intense protests led by the family, the school administration suspended four teachers. The Delhi government also constituted a high-level committee to probe the circumstances leading to the student's death. However, the father has lost faith in the ongoing police probe, prompting his appeal to the higher judiciary.
Key Demands for an Impartial Probe
The petition in the High Court outlines several critical demands for ensuring justice:
- Transfer of Investigation: The primary request is to move the case from Delhi Police to the CBI or an SIT to ensure an impartial and transparent investigation.
- Appointment of a Woman IO: The father has objected to the case being handled by a male investigating officer, insisting it be assigned to a woman officer.
- Fulfilling the Last Wish: The plea emphasizes that a fair probe is essential to honor the boy's final wish for action against the teachers who harassed him.
- Protecting Other Students: It argues that a rigorous investigation is necessary to safeguard other students from potential torture, harassment, or gaslighting.
The court's call for a status report is the first judicial step in scrutinizing the pace and direction of the police investigation. The next hearing will be crucial in determining whether the probe remains with the Delhi Police or is transferred to a central agency as sought by the aggrieved family.
