Ex-Punjab DGP denies role in son's death, says SIT probe to reveal truth

SAHARANPUR: Former Punjab Police chief Mohammad Mustafa has dismissed as "completely false" all allegations levelled against him and his family in connection with the death of his son.

Addressing the media here on Tuesday, the former director general of police (DGP) said he welcomed the police case registered against him and his wife, former Punjab minister Razia Sultana, as the investigation would "reveal the truth".

Mustafa, a retired 1985-batch IPS officer, and Sultana have been booked in connection with the death of their 35-year-old son, Aqil Akhter, at his residence in Haryana's Panchkula on October 16. Akhter's wife and sister have also been booked.

The family initially claimed that he died due to drug overdose. They later buried his body in their ancestral village, Harda Kheri, here.

Responding to a purported video of his son in which Akhter made some serious allegations against Mustafa and other family members, the former DGP said his son was suffering from a psychotic disorder for nearly 18 years and also struggled with substance abuse.

"He often became violent due to his illness," Mustafa told reporters, adding that his family endured this mental suffering for years.

"His condition had worsened to the point where he didn't understand what he was saying or doing," he added.

Akhter once broke his mother's hip in 2008, but the family covered it up by saying she had fallen. On another occasion, Akhter tried to attack his wife, Mustafa claimed.

"We are public figures, so we tried to hide these matters, but now the truth must come out," he said.

On Akhter's video, he further said that his son posted it on social media on August 27 and deleted it two hours later. But some people downloaded it and were now "misusing it to malign the family".

Mustafa said he fully supported the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the case and would cooperate fully "so that the truth is brought to light".

Mustafa also rejected the allegations levelled by Shamshuddin, a resident of Punjab's Malerkotla on whose complaint the FIR in the case has been registered, terming them "completely false".

He alleged that certain individuals were trying to damage his political reputation.

The former DGP said his son's post-mortem was conducted at his request, but the report has not yet been released.

In the purported video, Akhter, while referring to the matters pertaining to the family, said that he had been going through a lot of stress.

"I feel they will frame me in a false case... Their plan is to have me falsely imprisoned or even killed, but they are unable to have their way," he said in the video.

He also alleged that his family members often told him that he was delusional and was hallucinating. "They are trying to establish a false narrative," he alleged.

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