Air India Pilot Suicide: Cops Probe Boyfriend Aditya Pandit's Deleted WhatsApp Chats

Mumbai: The probe into the death of Air India pilot Srishti Tuli has intensified with the police attempting to retrieve her boyfriend's deleted WhatsApp chats to gain a significant lead in the case.

For the unversed, Srishti Tuli (25) allegedly died by suicide in her rented flat in Marol area in Mumbai's Andheri on Monday, November 25. A day after, the Powai police in Mumbai arrested her boyfriend, identified as Aditya Pandit ( 27), on charges of abetment to suicide. As per police, Tuli hanged herself using a data cable at her flat in the 'Kanakia Rain Forest' building.

Earlier on Friday, a Mumbai court extended the police remand Pandit till December 2 after cops contended they need to retrieve deleted WhatsApp chats between the two from his mobile phone.

Pandit was produced before a magistrate's court in suburban Andheri at the end of his previous remand on Friday.

Police sought further custody of Pandit from the court, saying they need to retrieve deleted WhatsApp chats between the accused and Tuli from his mobile phone.

The chats may reveal crucial information related to the victim's death, police submitted.

Pandit was detained after one of Tuli's relatives accused him of harassing, abusing her and forcing her to stop consuming non-vegetarian food, police earlier said, citing the FIR registered in the case.

According to the probe agency, Tuli hailed from Uttar Pradesh and had been living in Mumbai for work since June last year.

She and Pandit had met while pursuing a commercial pilot course in New Delhi two years ago and got into a relationship.

Pandit was en route Delhi in his car when Tuli called him, saying "she would end her life". Pandit rushed back to Mumbai and found the door of her flat locked from inside, an official said earlier.

He got the door opened with the help of a key maker and found Tuli hanging with a data cable. She was taken to SevenHills Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. No suicide note was found in the house, he said.

Based on a complaint filed by the pilot's uncle, Pandit was arrested under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 108 (abetment of suicide) and produced in a court which remanded him to police custody for four days. 

(With PTI inputs)