Payal Tadvi suicide case: Bombay HC questions Maharashtra govt over delay in recording statements of key witnesses

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday pulled up the Maharashtra government for delay in registering statements of key witnesses before the magistrate in the Payal Tadvi suicide case. [caption id=“attachment_5360911” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of the Bombay High Court. IBN Live[/caption] Responding to this, the government lawyer assured the court that the statements will be recorded before the next hearing. The high court also questioned the state government for inaction against authorities who were aware of the ragging incidents faced by Tadvi. The state government in its reply to the court said that action will be taken under section 7 of the Anti-Ragging Act. The hearing on bail application of accused person has been adjourned till 9 August. Tadvi, who belonged to a Scheduled Tribe community, ended her life in her hostel room at BYL Nair Hospital on 22 May, allegedly after facing harassment from her seniors due to her caste. The forensic department had recovered a suicide note left behind by Tadvi on her phone. The post-mortem examination report of Tadvi’s death revealed the evidence of a ligature mark on her neck. Her family alleged that three of her seniors ragged and hurled casteist abuses at her, forcing her to take the extreme step. The trio was booked under the charges of abetment of suicide and various provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act in connection with this.