Kochi: M Kodanda Ram, the first accused in a case related to the death of Nithin Raj, a first-year BDS student of Ancharakandy Dental College in Kannur, has approached the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail. Ram is the Head of the Department of Dental Anatomy at the college. The High Court will consider the petition later.
Case Background
Police had registered a case based on a complaint by Raj's family, alleging that the petitioner, along with other teachers, had subjected him to caste-based discrimination and harassment, which led him to die by suicide.
Bail Plea Rejected Earlier
Ram moved the High Court after his pre-arrest bail plea before the Thalassery Sessions Court was rejected on April 24. In his plea, Ram claimed that Raj had availed a loan through an app and had provided the contact number of a teacher to the persons who sanctioned the loan. When there was a default in repayment, the lenders repeatedly contacted the teacher, eventually forcing her to lodge a complaint before the principal against Raj.
Sequence of Events
Based on the teacher's complaint, Raj was summoned to the principal's room, questioned, and it was decided to file a police complaint. According to Ram, Raj left the principal's room and presumably committed suicide immediately after that meeting. He further contended that there was no mention at that time of any harassment or torture faced by the student. Ram also stated that, surprisingly, Raj's father later filed a complaint before police with a different allegation, claiming that the petitioner, along with other teachers, had subjected him to caste-based discrimination and harassment.
