Haryana IPS officer’s death: Day before committing suicide, Puran Kumar was booked on bribery charges
Chandigarh: A day before Haryana’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) Y. Puran Kumar, an IPS officer from the 2001 batch, was found dead with a gunshot wound at his residence in Chandigarh, it is learnt on Wednesday that he was booked by the police on allegations of bribery.
The officer was reportedly perturbed over the inclusion of his name in a bribery case on the complaint of a liquor contractor without the permission of the state government. The Rohtak Police on Monday registered a first information report (FIR) based on a complaint by the liquor contractor, who alleged that Kumar’s aide Sushil Kumar had sought a bribe of Rs 2.5 lakh in the officer’s name.
On September 29, Kumar was transferred to the Police Training College in Sunaria in Rohtak. Previously, he was posted as the IG (Rohtak Range). The contractor, in a complaint, had submitted CCTV footage and audio recordings as evidence to substantiate his allegations.
While the police had arrested Sushil, Kumar’s name figured in the FIR. However, the FIR has not been uploaded online, and officials linked to the case have been avoiding commenting on the matter.
Sources said the IGP was purportedly upset about including his name in the FIR.
On Tuesday, soon after the crime, a ‘will’ and a ‘final note’ were recovered from Kumar’s official residence. It is learnt that the IGP named at least 10 IPS officers, serving and retired, for abetment to suicide. However, the police have not disclosed its content.
Police said Puran Kumar allegedly shot himself with his service revolver, and his body was found by his daughter in the basement. His death has left police and administrative circles in shock.
Chandigarh SSP Kanwardeep Kaur had told the media that information regarding a reported suicide was received from House No. 116, Sector 11, Chandigarh, around 1.30 p.m.
She said the deceased has been identified as Puran Kumar. The police have also taken custody of Kumar’s mobile phones and other documents from the spot. Previously, Kumar had raised questions over the promotion of certain IPS officers belonging to the 1991, 1996, 1997, and 2005 batches.
An engineering graduate, he was born on May 19, 1973, and was due to retire on May 31, 2033.
The investigating agency is examining whether recent professional developments or personal reasons may have contributed to the tragic step.
The body has been sent for post-mortem examination.
Earlier, Kumar wrote a letter to Chief Minister Saini, questioning the promotions granted to IPS officers. He alleged that these promotions were conducted illegally by overriding Union Home Ministry (MHA) guidelines based solely on the consent of the Finance Department.
His central argument stemmed from the discrepancy in the application of promotional benefits. While some officers received their promotion to the rank of DIG with retrospective effect, January 1 of the promotion year, others, including Kumar, were given the promotion with “immediate effect” on the actual date of the order, leading to significant financial losses and unfair treatment.
–IANS
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