Dr Shahana's suicide: Dowry-seeker arrested

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Dr Ruwais, who was the president of the Medical College PG Doctors Association and the boyfriend of Dr Shahana, has been arrested in connection with the suicide of Shahana. Thiruvananthapuram Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court remanded Ruwais for 14 days. Ruwais is currently in Poojappura Central Jail.

It is alleged that Dr Ruwais was responsible for the suicide of Shahana, a second-year PG student of the Medical College. The preliminary conclusion is that Ruwais, who had promised to marry Shahana, later pushed her to commit suicide in the name of dowry. According to the remand report given by Medical College Police Inspector P Harilal to the court, there is clear evidence against Ruwais, including a suicide note and WhatsApp chats.

Ruwais has been booked under charges of abetment to suicide and the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961. Police have launched an investigation about the role of Ruwais's family in the incident. Shahana was found dead in a rented flat on Monday night. The suicide note mentioning Ruwais's name indicates the accused's yearning for dowry. The police had initially said that no name was mentioned in the suicide note. However, as per the remand report submitted by the police, the accused's name and role were mentioned in the suicide note.

Ruwais was taken into custody from his relative's house at Karunagapally in Kollam on Wednesday night. He was taken to the police station at around 2 am. The police recorded his arrest at 11.30 am on Thursday after questioning him in detail. Although he initially refused to cooperate with the questioning, he stumbled when asked about the details mentioned in Shahana's suicide note. The police seized his phone and checked his WhatsApp chats. However, it was found that most of the chats had been deleted after Shahana's death. The phone was produced in court. WhatsApp messages sent to Ruwais from Shahana's mobile phone contain content that is similar to what was mentioned in Shahana's suicide note.

The police registered the case on the complaint filed by Dr Shahana's brother. Shahana's mother had told the police that it was Ruwais who approached her family first saying that he wished to marry Shahana. The preliminary investigation revealed this was true.

MBBS degree of Ruwais will be revoked if proven guilty
Following his arrest, Ruwais was suspended from the Medical College. Minister Veena George directed the Director of Medical Education and the Director of the Women and Child Development Department to conduct an investigation and take strict action. Dr Mohanan Kunnummel, Vice-Chancellor of the Health University said that the MBBS degree of Ruwais will be revoked if he is found guilty.