Haryana govt gives consent for CBI probe into ex-Punjab DGP son’s death

Former Punjab director general of police (human rights) Mohammad Mustafa has already said he and his family were ready to cooperate with the investigations.

Seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the criminal case registered against former Punjab director general of police (human rights) Mohammad Mustafa, his wife and former state minister in the Congress government Razia Sultana and others for their alleged involvement in the death of their son Aqil Akhtar, the Haryana government on Wednesday made a reference to the Central government to request the federal agency to take over the case.

Former Punjab DGP Mohammad Mustafa (right) and his son son, Aqil Akhtar.(HT file)

A first information report (FIR) was registered in Panchkula on October 20 against Mustafa, a retired 1985-batch IPS officer, Sultana, their daughter and daughter-in-law under Sections 103(1) (murder) and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Officials said that given the sensitivity of the case, the nature of allegations levelled in the FIR and the fact that case involved multiple state jurisdictions, the state government decided that the investigations in the case be handed over to the CBI.

“A reference under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act granting the consent of the Haryana government for extending the power and jurisdiction of the CBI to Haryana for the investigation of the case has been made to the department of personnel and training of the central government. Once the central government orders accordingly, the CBI will take over the case for investigation,’’ said an official familiar with the matter.

Mustafa has already said he and his family were ready to cooperate with the investigations. Mustafa and his family members are currently at their native place in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, where the last rites of Aqil were performed. They plan to visit Malerkotla for a prayer meeting on October 25 and return to Panchkula on October 26.

On the night of October 16, Aqil (35) was found unconscious at his residence at Sector 4 of Mansa Devi Complex in Panchkula. He was taken to the civil hospital by his family. Since no foul play was suspected initially, the body was handed over to the family after the post-mortem the following day.

However, the police later registered a case against Mustafa, Razia Sultana, their daughter and daughter-in-law on October 20 on the complaint of Shamshudeen Chaudhary of Malerkotla, who lodged a complaint alleging foul play in the death, citing a video posted by Aqil on social media in August in which he expressed serious threat to his life.

Mustafa has dismissed the allegations and said that Aqil was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Panchkula as he had become “psychotic” and was not in sound mental health. He also welcomed the police case registered against him and his wife , saying that the investigation would “reveal the truth”.