No threat to ASI Sushil Kumar in jail: Prisons Dept

The Haryana Prisons Department has dismissed the allegations of ASI Sushil Kumar—a witness in the IPS Y Puran Kumar suicide case—being threatened inside Rohtak Jail. The ASI was part of the IPS officer's staff.

After Sushil Kumar’s wife, Soni Devi, alleged that he had been receiving threats inside Sunaria Jail, Rohtak, he was shifted to Ambala Jail on November 4, and an inquiry was marked. According to sources, there were eight to nine people in Sushil’s ward. An argument did take place over raising the volume of TV, but he was never threatened, the inquiry has revealed.

The allegations have been dismissed after investigation and recording of statements of inmates, said a senior jail department official, who is privy to the inquiry report.

Sushil was arrested following an extortion FIR dated October 6 at Urban Estate Police Station in Rohtak. There were allegations that he was demanding Rs 2.5 lakh per month from a liquor contractor. On October 7, Puran Kumar committed suicide at his Chandigarh residence. His wife, IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, filed a complaint with the Chandigarh Police, alleging that the FIR was part of a conspiracy to implicate her husband by fabricating evidence against him, and held then DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and then Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarnia responsible for it.

Based on Puran Kumar’s suicide note and Amneet P Kumar’s complaint, an FIR was registered against several IAS and IPS officers.

On October 10, the Chandigarh DGP formed a six-member SIT to investigate the suicide. The SIT had recorded Sushil's statement.

Sushil’s wife, through a letter, had alleged that he was being threatened inside the jail and his life was in danger. The letter was addressed to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home); DGP Prisons; District and Sessions Judge, Rohtak; SIT, Chandigarh; and the Superintendent (Rohtak Jail).