The Kerala High Court has issued a notice to the state government regarding a pre-arrest bail petition filed by M Kodanda Ram, the head of the department of dental anatomy at Ancharakandy Dental College in Kannur. The petition is connected to a case involving the alleged abetment of the suicide of Nithin Raj, a first-year BDS student.
Case Background
Justice P V Balakrishnan adjourned the plea for further consideration, scheduling the next hearing for May 15. The incident dates back to April 10, when Nithin Raj tragically died after falling from a college building. The police registered a case based on a complaint filed by Raj's family, which alleged that Ram, along with other faculty members and the hostel warden, subjected the student to caste-based discrimination and harassment. The family claims this treatment drove Raj to take his own life.
Defense Argument
In his defense, Ram contended that Raj had availed a loan through a mobile application and provided the contact number of a teacher to the lenders. When the loan repayment defaulted, the lenders allegedly contacted the teacher repeatedly, compelling her to lodge a complaint with the principal and file a police complaint against those who sanctioned the loan. Based on the teacher's complaint, Raj was summoned to the principal's room, questioned, and it was decided to file a formal complaint. According to Ram, Raj left the principal's room and is presumed to have died by suicide shortly thereafter. He further submitted that there was no allegation at that time of any harassment or torture.
Legal Proceedings
Earlier, the Thalassery sessions court had dismissed Ram's pre-arrest bail plea on April 24, prompting him to approach the High Court. The court's notice to the state government indicates that the matter will be examined further, with the next hearing set for May 15.
