BDS student suicide case: Court grants bail to Dental HoD, finds no active instigation
Bail granted
The bail was granted on Wednesday by Principal District and Sessions Judge Manoj M on the ground that there was no material to show that the professor had made caste-based remarks against the student in public view, and neither did the investigation report reveal that he had actively instigated the student to commit suicide.
On these grounds, the court directed the release of the professor on bail, on the condition that the professor cooperate with the probe, furnish a Rs 5 lakh bond, not enter the college premises and not contact, influence or intimidate any student.
The court, however, noted that the investigation had revealed allegations that the former head had ridiculed and humiliated the student in public.
In this context, Judge Manoj M said, "Whether those acts amounted to abetment of suicide and whether the professor had the intention required for the offence are matters to be decided at trial."
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that a division bench of the Supreme Court refused to grant anticipatory bail to the former head in July, 2026 after observing that classroom humiliation can leave a lasting psychological impact on students and that teachers must realise the consequences of their actions as times have changed.
"It will have a wonderful effect for the students that a teacher can't walk away with this kind of behaviour. The message has to go that you cannot behave in this way with the students," the Bench observed, stressing the need for accountability in educational institutions.
Background:
The BDS student had died on April 10 after allegedly falling from a college building under suspicious circumstances. He was found critically injured on a stone-paved area between the administrative block and the hospital building at around 1:30 pm. Though he was rushed to the medical college hospital for treatment, he later succumbed to his injuries.
The student's parents, in their complaint, accused the college faculty member of subjecting the student to emotional and verbal harassment over his dark complexion and poor family background. His family alleged that teachers used derogatory remarks such as "slum dog" and "rabid dog" against him.
Following the incident, the Head of the Dental Anatomy Department was expelled from the college.
While police initially registered a case of unnatural death, the charges were later altered to abetment of suicide and offences under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act after the family alleged caste-based harassment.
Meanwhile, Kannur Cyber Police registered a separate case after it emerged that the student had allegedly borrowed money through a loan application. The app operators reportedly contacted one of his teachers, who later informed the college authorities.
After the student's death, two accused doctors went into hiding and approached the court seeking anticipatory bail. During the hearing before the sessions court, the former HoD denied allegations of caste-based or racial harassment. He claimed that the student was "weak in studies" and that he had only advised him to improve, as his internal marks were very low. The doctor further claimed that he was under pressure due to harassment by loan app operators and denied any role in the student’s death.
Observation by Kerala HC and Supreme Court
Meanwhile, Kerala High Court bench Justice A Badharudeen, while hearing an anticipatory bail plea of the former head, orally remarked in June 2026 that students were being treated cruelly in medical colleges in the State, noting that there were many complaints.
"In Kerala, medical colleges are ruining students. No doubt about it. They are very cruelly treating students, even PG students. Many complaints. Very, very serious matter...Generally.. I am not saying that you have done it.. Generally, these are very, very serious allegations," the bench orally observed, while expressing concern at the seriousness of the matter.
The anticipatory bail plea was filed by the Head of the Department of Dental Anatomy at Kannur Dental College, against the order of the Session Court. The HoD has been arrayed as the prime accused in the abetment to suicide case of a dental student from the institute. The second accused in the matter is a Professor at the institute. While the Sessions Court had granted pre-arrest bail to the second accused, it had dismissed the bail application against the prime accused, the HoD.
When the matter was further brought before Supreme court, division bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta upheld the Kerala HC's order and remarked "A teacher must realise the consequences of humiliating a student. It will have a wonderful effect for the students that a teacher can't walk away with this kind of behaviour. The message has to go that you cannot behave in this way with the students."
Session Court grants bail
In the recent hearing, as reported by Onmanorama, the court granted bail to the accused after taking note of the police report that stated the accused's further custody was not required for the investigation and that he had been in judicial custody for more than 45 days after being re-arrested on July 23, and the police had already taken him into custody for interrogation.
Earlier, the Thalassery court had refused his anticipatory bail application along with the Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court. He was subsequently arrested but released after the court found that the arrest had not complied with mandatory Supreme Court guidelines. The High Court later expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the investigation was being conducted, following which the investigating officer was suspended. After the Thalassery SC/ST Sessions Court permitted his re-arrest, he surrendered before a new Crime Branch team on July 23 and has remained in judicial custody since then.
The professor was booked under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with abetment of suicide, and Section 3(1)(r) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
While considering the SC/ST Act charge, the sessions judge referred to the Supreme Court's ruling in the Shajan Sakaria case.
The sessions judge noted that an insult against a person belonging to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe does not by itself attract Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/ST Act. The insult or intimidation must be on account of the person's caste identity, he said.
"In this case, there is no material to show that the accused had called the victim by his caste name in public view," the judge said, while adding that the material did indicate that the former HoD had ridiculed and humiliated the student in public view.
However, the prosecution argued that the repeated humiliation caused the student severe mental stress and ultimately led him to take his own life.
On this, the court also found that the investigation report did not show that the professor had actively instigated him to commit suicide.
The judge referred to several Supreme Court decisions holding that mere harassment was not sufficient to establish abetment of suicide. There must be a positive or direct act, coupled with the requisite intention, that led the victim to take his or her own life.
The court further noted that the allegations were that the student died by suicide because of the accused's "constant harassment, humiliation and instigation in public view".
For this, the judge said that a court hearing a bail plea is not required to conduct a detailed examination of the evidence.
While granting him bail, the court imposed several conditions. As part of the bail conditions, the court barred the professor from entering Kannur Dental College and its premises at Anjarakkandy. He has also been prohibited from contacting any student of the college until the conclusion of the trial. Additionally, he must appear before the investigating officer every Wednesday between 9 am and 10 am for six months or until the final report is filed, whichever is earlier.
Along with this, the court directed him to execute a Rs 5 lakh bond with two solvent sureties for the same amount, with one surety being a near relative. He has also been directed not to intimidate or influence witnesses, tamper with evidence or commit any other offence while on bail.
