HC seeks state's response on Dr Ram’s bail plea in BDS student's death case

The Kerala High Court has sought the state government’s response to an anticipatory bail plea filed by Dr M Kodanda Ram, the dental college professor accused in connection with the suicide of BDS student Nithin Raj.

Justice P V Balakrishnan also issued notice to the victim’s mother, Latha, and posted the matter for further consideration on May 15.

Earlier, the Thalassery Sessions Court denied anticipatory bail to Dr Ram on April 25, while granting relief to the second accused, Dr Sangeetha Nambiar. Following this, Dr Ram moved the High Court under Section 14A of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, which permits appeals against orders of special courts, including denial of anticipatory bail.

The sessions court had flagged flaws in the investigation and in the framing of charges. It also criticised what it termed an “excessive media trial” in the case and said there was no evidence to invoke provisions of the SC/ST Act against Dr Ram. The court further questioned the circumstances under which Dr Sangeetha Nambiar was arraigned as an accused.

Additional Sessions Judge-IV, Vimal J, after examining the case diary and statements of three student witnesses, observed that while the material indicated harsh, insulting and improper conduct by Dr Ram, it did not amount to caste-targeted humiliation.

According to the sessions court, caste discrimination was not the cause of Nithin’s death. It noted that the student died by suicide after being called to the Principal’s room and questioned by faculty. “He was in deep distress on account of this interrogation and the fact that the cyber police were going to register a complaint against him,” the court observed.

In his plea, Dr Ram denied allegations of caste-based harassment or abetment of suicide, claiming that the student was under distress due to financial issues linked to a loan taken through a mobile application.

The sessions court also considered statements of Dr Bhagyasree, Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy, and Principal Vinod Mony, which indicated that another Assistant Professor, Dr Latha, had received repeated threatening calls from loan app operators. She also received a WhatsApp message showing that her number had been listed as a reference by Nithin.

Case records further showed that Nithin had taken a loan of ₹15,000 and the police have so far arrested three loan app operators.

The plea was filed through advocates S Rajeev, V Vinay, MS Aneer, Anilkumar CR, Sarath KP, Dipa V, KS Kiran Krishnan, Akash Cherian Thomas, Azad Sunil, TP Aravind, Maheswar Padickal, Akshara S and Nivedita Rajeev.