UT police record statement of officials, issue notice to others

The Chandigarh Police have recorded the statements of around eight to nine officials and issued notices to several others in connection with the alleged suicide of IPS officer Y Puran Kumar.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted to probe the case, continues to examine all aspects, including the events leading up to the officer’s death on October 7.

According to sources, the SIT has formally sought certified records related to an FIR lodged on October 6 in Haryana against Sushil Kumar, the personal gunman of the late officer. The case, registered under the supervision of then Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya, was cited by Y Puran Kumar’s wife, IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, as the trigger that caused severe distress to her husband and allegedly led to his suicide.

Officials confirmed that while the FIR copy has been received, the SIT is now pursuing the corresponding case diary and communication chain pertaining to its registration. Notices have also been sent to several officials for their statements. Most likely, former SP Rohtak Bijarniya will also be summoned in the coming days for questioning.

The SIT has already received the post-mortem report and preliminary forensic findings from PGIMER. Investigators are analysing call records, electronic communication and an eight-page handwritten note recovered from the officer’s Sector-11 residence. The deceased officer’s laptop, earlier handed over by the family, has been sent to the CFSL team for forensic analysis to retrieve any relevant data.

Preliminary findings indicate that the cause of death was consistent with the circumstances described in the initial inquiry and in the note, pointing towards suicide. The note reportedly mentioned several senior officials, including the then Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and SP Narendra Bijarniya, both of whom were subsequently sent on leave following public outcry.

Chandigarh Police officials maintained that the investigation is focused on establishing whether the October 6 FIR against the gunman was motivated or influenced in any way and if it had a direct bearing on Kumar’s death. Statements of multiple witnesses have already been recorded, and more are being summoned as the inquiry expands.

The SIT is also gathering documents related to Kumar’s earlier official complaints and correspondence from the Haryana Government to establish a comprehensive timeline of events and corroborate details from the note.

The case was registered under Section 108 of the IPC (abetment to suicide) and provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on October 9, with the more stringent Section 3(2)(v) added subsequently.

Meanwhile, Union Minister and former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar met Amneet P Kumar, wife of the late IPS officer and a senior IAS officer in the Haryana Government, today along with their two daughters at their Chandigarh residence to offer condolences.

The family has announced that a ‘bhog’ and ‘antim ardas’ in memory of Y Puran Kumar would be held at noon on October 26 at Gurdwara Sri Nada Sahib, Panchkula.