'Rohith Vemula Not A Dalit', Police Says In Case Closure Report Giving Clean Chit To Accused BJP Leaders, V-C

Giving a clean chit to former Vice Chancellor of Hyderabad University and BJP leaders named in the case, Telangana Police have filed a closure report before a local court in its probe into the death of student Rohith Vemula, claiming he was not a Dalit and died by suicide as he feared that his "real identity" would be discovered.

The Cyberabad police that investigated the case informed the court that Rohith Vemula did not belong to Scheduled Caste and that he was aware of it, according to a news agency PTI report.

Rohith Vemula died by suicide in 2016.

"The deceased had multiple issues worrying him which could have driven him to commit suicide," the closure report said.

"In addition to this, the deceased himself was aware that he did not belong to Scheduled Caste and that his mother got him a SC certificate. This could be one of the constant fears as the exposure of the same would result in a loss of his academic degrees that he earned over the years and be compelled to face prosecution," the closure report stated

The closure report absolved former Hyderabad University Vice Chancellor Appa Rao and BJP leaders, including the then Secunderabad MP Bandaru Dattatreya, Union Minister Smriti Irani, former MLC N Ramachander Rao and ABVP leaders.

Further, the report said, "Despite best efforts, no evidence could be found to establish that the actions of the accused have driven the deceased to commit suicide."

The then UoH vice-chancellor Appa Rao Podile and incumbent Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya were among the accused.

Rohith Vemula's death had become a massive political controversy with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi taking on the central government in Parliament and the then Union HRD (Ministry of Education of India) Minister Smriti Irani slamming alleged attempts to project it as a caste battle.