How did Aqil die? Ex-Punjab DGP Mohammad Mustafa opens up on son's death amid murder probe
Former Punjab DGP Mohammad Mustafa expressed profound grief over his son Aqil Akhtar's death, attributing it to a drug overdose.
Former Punjab director general of police (DGP) Mohammad Mustafa has opened up on the death of his son, Aqil Akhtar, describing it as the “greatest grief a father can bear” while rejecting the murder charge against him and his family.
Mohammad Mustafa, his wife and former minister Razia Sultana, daughter, and daughter-in-law have been named in an FIR filed by the Haryana Police in connection with Aqil Akhtar's death at his Panchkula home.
The retired IPS officer, who once headed the Punjab Police, said his 35-year-old son had been battling drug addiction for nearly two decades and died of an overdose. Mustafa termed the accusations against his family a “politically motivated conspiracy” aimed at maligning him.
“There is no greater pain for a father than losing his only son… This tragedy has awakened the soldier within me to stand against those with petty mindsets... No matter the mistakes a child makes, a father always shields them from the world. Yet, some have tried to exploit this situation for petty politics... I have no fear, for we have done nothing wrong... Have you ever heard of a father killing his own son?” Mustafa told news agency ANI.
‘My son was a drug addict for 18 years’
Mustafa said his son’s long struggle with addiction destroyed the family emotionally. “My son had been a drug addict for 18 years. I got him treated at several places. I even locked him in the room for two to three days,” he said.
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The former DGP said he had tried every possible way to help Aqil recover, but his addiction was severe and persistent.
“In Punjab, drug abuse among youth is rampant. Every day, I read news of youngsters killing their families. But have you ever heard of a father, mother, daughter, or daughter-in-law being involved in such a crime? My son struggled with addiction for 18 years… I count myself among the unlucky fathers facing this unbearable situation,” Mustafa added.
He maintained that Aqil’s death was due to an overdose and not a criminal act. “This is not a case of murder. It’s a tragedy, and people are trying to turn it into politics,” he said.
‘A pawn in a political conspiracy’
Mustafa also hit out at the complainant, Shamsuddin Chaudhary, who alleged that Aqil was held hostage and that he had recorded a video making serious claims against his family before his death.
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“He (Shamsuddin) has become a pawn of a politician… I am not scared of anyone. If you visit a police station to report a complaint, it is the police’s responsibility to register a case. The one paragraph that he gave the police converted it into an FIR. I welcome this and I will fully cooperate with the investigation... If I am guilty, I am ready to be hanged,” Mustafa said.
The former DGP claimed that political forces were trying to exploit his family’s grief. “Our family is a high-profile family, that’s why conspiracies are being hatched. I am not one to back down. I have spent my life in service and discipline, and I will face this too,” he said.
Case details and police action
Aqil Akhtar was found unconscious at his residence in Sector 4, Panchkula, on October 16 and was declared dead on arrival at the hospital. The initial police inquiry found no evidence of foul play. However, the case took a dramatic turn after certain videos and social media posts appeared, prompting further scrutiny.
Panchkula deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Shrishti Gupta confirmed that an FIR has been registered under sections related to murder and criminal conspiracy. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been set up to probe the case.
“Former DGP Mohammad Mustafa and former minister Razia Sultana’s son, Aqil Akhtar, was found dead under suspicious circumstances at his residence in MDC, Panchkula. We received a complaint and based on that, we have now filed an FIR under sections of murder and conspiracy,” Gupta said.
The FIR names the deceased’s father, mother, sister, and wife as accused. Police said the investigation will take into account medical and forensic reports as well as digital evidence, including the alleged video that surfaced after Aqil’s death.
‘The father inside me is buried; the soldier will fight’
Mustafa, a 1985-batch IPS officer known for his service record and as the husband of Congress leader Razia Sultana, said the allegations had forced him to shift from mourning as a father to defending himself as a soldier.
“After my son’s death, we were grieving. But when allegations were made, today I have buried the father inside me and will now face the accusations like a soldier,” he said.
He added that the accusations had only strengthened his resolve. “This tragedy has awakened the soldier within me. I have been a soldier all my life. Now, I will fight back as one,” he said.
