Lawyer in Rahul Gandhi defamation case dies by suicide
Lawyer Firoz Pathan, who was suffering from depression, allegedly took the extreme step on September 4, police said. He did not leave any suicide note behind
Surat, Sep 8 (PTI) A lawyer from Surat, who had been part of the Congress' legal team that represented MP Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case, allegedly committed suicide by jumping into a river here, police said on Monday.
Lawyer Firoz Pathan, who was suffering from depression, allegedly took the extreme step on September 4, said Dharmesh Patel, inspector of Maroli police station in neighbouring Navsari district where the body was found.
He ended his life after making a call to his junior, as per sources.
Pathan had been a member of the Congress' legal team that represented Gandhi in a defamation case registered against him in Surat following a complaint by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi, they said.
"According to his family members, Pathan was battling depression," Patel said.
The lawyer allegedly jumped off a bridge into the Tapi river on September 4. He did not leave behind any suicide note, but made a call to his junior before taking the extreme step, according to sources.
The local fire department team later launched a search operation but the strong river current made it hard to trace him.
The body was later found after it got washed ashore the Ubharat beach in Navsari district, the police official said.
A case of accidental death was registered on September 5 and a probe was on into it, the police added. PTI