Chandigarh: A day after the inspector general of police (IGP) Y Puran Kumar allegedly died by suicide, a row has erupted over inclusion of his name without the state government’s prior sanction, in an FIR lodged against his former aide for allegedly demanding bribe from a liquor contractor in Kumar’s name.
District Rohtak police said that it had arrested a head constable, Sushil, a former aide of IGP Kumar, on Monday and was sent in judicial custody on Tuesday. He was arrested for demanding bribe in the name of the deceased IPS officer, though the latter had not been summoned to join the investigation.
According to police, Sushil who earlier worked with IGP Kumar during the latter’s stint as IG, Rohtak range, was still allegedly kept by Kumar despite his transfer as IG, Police Training Centre, Sunaria, Rohtak.
Sushil was arrested for demanding Rs 2.5 lakh from a liquor businessman on a monthly basis from him in the name of IGP Kumar. The FIR was registered on the basis of written complaint and a video footage supplied by the liquor businessman, police said and added that Sushil also allegedly threatened the businessman to pay the sum else he would be implicated in a liquor smuggling case.
Sources said that this case could also be a reason which drove Kumar to take extreme step.
WAS VOCAL ON OFFICERS’ RIGHTS, SENIORITY
The deceased 2001-batch IPS officer Kumar was known for challenging the government on various crucial issues related to seniority and rights of officers, promotion granted to certain batches and representation of scheduled caste (SC) in police ranks.
Meanwhile, even though, an official statement has yet to come on the Kumar’s suicide note found from the spot, it was learnt that it had mention of several serving and former top IPS officers who ``authorised’’ a campaign to humiliate him.
According to reports, Kumar had even written to chief minister Nayab Saini that his representation was not given any heed as he and his batch-mates belong to the SC category. He claimed that in the state home department, even files that did not require legal opinion were being unnecessarily sent for the same.
Kumar had also lodged five complaints alleging harassment and humiliation against a senior IAS officer objecting to formation of a committee comprising three former IAS officers to probe into his allegations.
In March 2023, when he was posted as IGP, Home Guards, he had informed the then chief secretary Sanjeev Kaushal that the said post was not a cadre post. He had added that the Home Department had informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court the same year that the state government had never created the said post. He alleged that he was assigned the post to insult and humiliate him in public view.
