"If they need to reopen it, let them": BJP's Suresh Gopi on Rohith Vemula case

HYDERABAD: After Telangana police approached the court requesting permission for further investigation in the case involving the death of PhD scholar, Rohith Vemula, actor-turned-politician and BJP leader Suresh Gopi said that the court has said there is no issue and if the state government wants to reopen it then they can.

Rohith Vemula died by suicide in January 2016 allegedly upset over disciplinary actions taken against him by Hyderabad Central University where he was pursuing a PhD.

BJP's candidate from Kerala's Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, Suresh Gopi is in Telangana as part of BJP's election campaigning.

Speaking to ANI on the case, the BJP leader said, "Rohit Vemula case, I was in Parliament then, in 2016 when this row started. If they need to reopen it then let them reopen it and find the villains. Who are the accused I don't know I'm not aware. The court says there is no such issue. If the ultimate truth jumps then what will happen."

Speaking on the decision of Telangana police to reopen the case, High Court advocate Jaya Vindyala said that it should be handed over to the CBI or any other special investigation team. Vindyala was the advocate in the case during its initial stage and is an eyewitness.

"I appeal to Telangana CM Reventh Reddy to probe this case once again and investigation should be done by an IPS officer and it should be handover to a special team, CBI, CID or SIT then the real facts will come out," Jaya Vindyala.

Earlier in the day, Rohith Vemula's family met with Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and submitted a representation urging the Congress government in the state to reinvestigate the case.

Radhika Vemula, mother of Rohith Vemula said that the Chief Minister has assured that a fair enquiry will be conducted again adding that "this government will deliver us justice."

"The closure report was given based on the incidents that happened in 2018. There was no enquiry after that. We have come to meet the CM today as the report has been given now. The CM has assured that a fair enquiry will be conducted again," Radhika Vemula told ANI on Saturday.

"We have also talked about the case of the other students who were suspended along with Rohith. Those students are not getting jobs because of the cases and the PhD students are doing agricultural jobs. The CM also assured to look into those cases as well. We believe that this government will deliver us justice," she added.

Rohith Vemula's brother Vemula Raja said, "After the filing of the Closure Report the Telangana DGP has given a statement that they are going to reinvestigate the case and they will file a petition in the High Court. We have given a representation to the CM who has promised us a fair and transparent investigation to deliver justice to Rohith Vemula. We believe that the Congress government will reinvestigate the case."

Speaking on the closure report, the Telangana DGP said that they will file a petition requesting permission for further investigation in the case. He further said that the closure report was prepared before November last year and officially filed in court in March 2024.

"As some doubts have been expressed by the mother and others of the deceased Rohith Vemula on the investigation conducted, it has been decided to conduct further investigation into the case. A petition will be filed in the Court concerned requesting the Magistrate to permit further investigation into the case. The Investigation Officer in the case was Asst. Commissioner of Police, Madhapur and the final closure report in the case was prepared last year, that is before November 2023 itself based on the investigation conducted. The final closure report was officially filed in the jurisdictional court on March 21, 2024, by the Investigation Officer," Telangana DGP said.

Vemula was found hanging from a ceiling fan in a hostel room on January 17, 2016. He was allegedly upset over disciplinary actions taken against him by the university.