The Thalassery Principal Sessions Court, Kannur, on Monday (July 27, 2026) granted the Crime Branch special investigative team (SIT) five-day custody of Dr. M.K. Ram, the accused arrested in connection with the death of Kannur Dental College student Nithin Raj.

Judge M. Manoj allowed the custody plea, following which the SIT investigating the case took Dr. Ram into custody from the Kannur Special Sub-jail around 11.30 a.m. for evidence collection and further interrogation.

Dr. Ram, a native of Andhra Pradesh and a former HoD at the Kannur dental college, is the prime accused in the case.

The student’s family had alleged that prolonged mental harassment by Dr. Ram and faculty member Dr. Sangeeta Nambiar drove Nithin Raj to take his own life. Based on the complaint, the Chakkarakkal police had registered a case against both under charges of abetment of suicide and offences under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities )Act.

Both accused had gone into hiding after the investigation began. Dr. Sangeeta Nambiar, the second accused, later secured anticipatory bail and appeared before the Crime Branch for questioning.

Dr. Ram was arrested by the Crime Branch from Kodagu in Karnataka about three months after he allegedly absconded. He was subsequently remanded to judicial custody at the Kannur special sub-jail.

The SIT is expected to use the custody period to gather further evidence and verify the sequence of events connected with the student’s death.

Published - July 27, 2026 04:06 pm IST