TVM doctor’s death: Messages found deleted from Dr Ruwise’s phone

Thiruvananthapuram: The team probing the death of Dr Shahana, a 26-year-old postgraduate medical student at the surgery department of the Government Medical College here, found that messages had been deleted from Dr Ruwise's phone. The investigation team is all set to send the mobile phone for a detailed cyber examination.

E A Ruwise, who was charged with abetment to suicide and various sections of the Dowry Prohibition Act, was taken into custody after Shahana's family alleged that she took the extreme step because he backed off from a marriage proposal with her over a dowry issue.

“The messages which Dr Ruwise had sent to his friend Shahana were all found to have been deleted in an apparent evidence-tampering attempt when we examined his phone after seizing it,” said an investigation officer.

Shahana died by suicide by overdosing on anaesthesia at her residence on Monday. According to her family, Shanana was depressed over Ruwise backing off from the marriage proposal after she told him that she couldn't meet his family’s demand for 150 sovereign gold, 15 acres of land, and a BMW car as dowry.

The police reportedly took Dr Ruwise into custody from his relative’s residence in Karunagappally, even as he was attempting to get anticipatory bail. He was also preparing to go underground after it became clear that he would be named accused in the case. Earlier, the police searched a hostel and his house in Thiruvananthapuram, but couldn’t find Ruwise.

Police recovered a note purportedly written by Shahana from her room. However, there was no mention of the dowry issue or any charges against anyone. It just read, “All everybody needs is money. Money is bigger than anything.”

Dr Shahana, daughter of the late Abdul Aziz and Jameela Beevi, of Naaz Manzil, Maithri Nagar, Venjaramoodu, was found in an unconscious state at her flat near Thiruvananthapuram Medical College on Monday night. Though she was rushed to the hospital, she was declared brought dead.

According to Shahana's relatives, Ruwise's family demanded a huge amount as dowry. The groom's family backed off from the proposal when they were told it was beyond what Shahana's family could afford. The incident left Shahana distressed, her relatives told the police.

Meanwhile, the Kerala Medical Post Graduates' Association informed that Ruwise, who is the association's state president, has been removed from the post.

Minister Veena George directed the Director of the Women and Child Welfare Department to investigate and submit a report in the wake of allegations that dowry demand was behind Shahana's death. State Women's Commission Chairperson P Sathi Devi visited the house. Chairman of the State Minorities Commission A A Rasheed said that the commission has registered a case suo motu.