The death of Suchir Balaji, a whistleblower who raised concerns about OpenAI’s practices, has sparked controversy as his mother, Poornima Ramarao, rejects the official ruling of suicide. In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Ramarao alleged foul play and pointed to significant lapses in the investigation.
‘It Was Not Suicide,’ Says Ramarao
The San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Balaji’s death a suicide. However, Ramarao disputes this, citing her son’s behavior before his death. “He celebrated his birthday a day before he died. What more do we need to give on account that he was in a happy mood?” she said, noting that Balaji had accepted a birthday gift from his father on the day he passed away.
Ramarao also criticized how the authorities handled the investigation. “How I knew that my son was dead was by looking at the white van,” she said. She alleged the police did not notify her properly, hastily ruled the death a suicide, and returned her son’s keys the same day, instructing her to collect the body the next day.
Missing Documents and Allegations of Foul Play
Ramarao claimed her son possessed sensitive documents against OpenAI, which were now missing. “My son had documents against OpenAI. They attacked him and killed him,” she said. She alleged that Balaji’s apartment had been ransacked and showed signs of a struggle, including blood spots in the bathroom. “It’s a cold-blooded murder declared by authorities as suicide,” she added, accusing authorities of suppressing the truth.
Elon Musk, known for his vocal stance on AI ethics, shared Ramarao’s interview on X (formerly Twitter), describing the situation as “extremely concerning.” Balaji had previously raised concerns about OpenAI’s potential copyright violations in an interview with The New York Times, which Ramarao believes made him a target.
This tragic case has raised serious questions about the treatment of whistleblowers and the integrity of investigations into their deaths. Ramarao’s call for justice has amplified demands for a transparent and thorough probe into her son’s untimely demise.
