Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Commission for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) has found flaws in the police investigation into the suicide of 26-year-old Dr Payal Tadvi from BYL Nair Hospital. The 4-member committee of the SC/ST commission, which visited the hostel room for spot investigations and compiled a report, will submit it to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) this week. “The police investigation had number of loopholes, including possibility of foul play in the suicidal death of Dr Tadvi,” said an official.
The 4-member committee comprises of former Indian Police Services (IPS) officer and president of the commission, Vijay Kamble, former Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer Madhukar Gaikwad, former justice C L Thool and member-secretary of the commission, Dr Sandesh Wagh. The committee, in their spot investigation, noted that considering the distance between the bed and the fan and unavailability of a table and fan to perch atop, it's almost impossible for Dr Tadvi to hang herself to the fan. Even the lock of the house was intact, going against the claims of police investigation that the door was broken into to take her body.
“We had measured the distance between the fan and the bed which is nearly a difference of 8.5 to 9 feet, moreover there was no table or stool in the room which Tadvi would have used to hang herself. We also learned it is difficult to reach the fan using a short scarf which was allegedly used to hang herself,” said a one of the members. A spot investigation report of the committee has appealed CBI to investigate if it’s a case of suicide or homicide. The commission also noticed the lock of the room was intact from inside, which contradicts the police statement which said the room was broken into by the security guards and doctors to find Dr Tadvi hanging by the ceiling.
“The police, in its First Information Report (FIR), failed to explain how the three accused were able to see inside Dr Tadvi’s room from a slight gap between the doors to find out that she has hung herself,” claimed the members. The commission has also directed the police to collect CCTV footage of last one month from Nair hospital for evidence from operation theatre and wards where Tadvi was allegedly humiliated. It has also observed that the hostel room where Tadvi committed suicide remained open for four hours after her death, allowing easy tampering of evidence and has recommended that the police must look into the forensic evidence in her room.
Swapnil Mishra
