Deonar family points out flaws in son’s suicide probe

Manav Lalwani, 24

The Deonar-based family that approached the Supreme Court to get an FIR registered in their son's suicide case has highlighted four major lapses in the police investigation. Right from flaws in call data records to the non-retrieval of CCTV footage and confusion over whether the investigation is concluded or not, the family has alleged there are several lapses in the Trombay police probe.

Manav Lalwani, 24, committed suicide on the night of December 2, 2021. The Trombay police had filed Accidental Death Report (ADR) in the case, but no FIR was registered despite complaints from the family. Manav's father Prakash had approached the Kurla Metropolitan Magistrate Court where the magistrate refused to entertain the plea. The family then went to the Sessions Court and finally to the Supreme Court to obtain an order for registration of an FIR, under IPC Section 306 (abetment of suicide), against Manav's female friend.

The family studied every aspect of the case registered and came across several flaws in the police investigation. According to the family, the flaws are such in nature that they raise a number of questions regarding the probe conducted.

Call details not matching

The call details report by the Trombay police shows a call made by Manav to his female friend at 12.41 am, which lasted for 41.2 seconds. However, an itemised bill obtained by the family from the network provider shows a call made by Manav at 1.14 am, which lasted for 42 seconds. The family has raised questions as to why the call didn't feature in the CDR records obtained by the police.

CCTV footage deleted

The Green Acres society where Manav lived with his family has a series of CCTV cameras which also have an audio recording facility. On the fateful night, when Manav and his female friend returned from dinner, they had a verbal argument in the society's parking area. The CCTV footage also shows Manav entering the society with his friend. However, the footage of the camera in the parking has been deleted. The Lalwani family claims the footage of December 1 and December 2 has been deleted. The police report mentioned that Forensic Science Lab analysis says no part has been deleted.

On July 22 the Trombay divisional assistant commissioner of police wrote in an order that the investigation of the suicide case has been completed and a summary of ‘unnatural suicide' can be filed. The ACP also directed the police station to return the seized property, if any, to Manav's family. He further directed that if the Lalwanis refuse to claim the items, they can be sold and the money obtained can be deposited to Government Treasury. However, when the family filed an RTI application immediately after the order, the deputy commissioner of police, in the first appeal on August 4, termed the status of the case as ‘under investigation' and refused to divulge any details about Manav's phone records and CCTV footage of the society cameras.

Family didn't get docs

The Lalwani family repeatedly made applications and raised RTI queries to get various details pertaining to the case, but none were provided. However, during the hearing at the Supreme Court, the female friend in question submitted all the documents related to the investigation. The Family has questioned how the person who has been accused of abetting could get all the documents which were denied to the family citing the case was under investigation.

"We don't know the reason behind these flaws. Also, we are consistently asking for Manav's phone but they haven't returned it yet. We don't know the reason. We are awaiting answers as well as progress in the case," Prakash said. Repeated calls to Hemrajsingh Rajput, DCP (Zone-VI) failed to get a response.