Amid a series of developments in the investigation into the demise of the son of a former Punjab Police chief, Mohammad Mustafa, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is focusing on two critical aspects – the medical records of the deceased and a mark on his hand that appears to be from a syringe. In order to gain more insight into these aspects, the Panchkula police have requested Mustafa and his family to appear for questioning regarding the passing of Aqil Akhtar, aged 35.
Reports indicate that Mustafa, a retired IPS officer, and his family are expected to participate in the investigation promptly. ACP Vikram Nehra, the senior police officer leading the SIT, emphasized that determining the cause of Akhtar’s death remains the top priority.
The case revolves around Aqil, a lawyer, who was discovered deceased at his home in Panchkula, Haryana, on October 16. Initially attributed to a drug overdose by his family, the scenario shifted dramatically following the emergence of two old videos where Aqil alleged mistreatment and abuse by his family. Subsequently, a complaint was filed by Shamshudeen Chaudhary, formerly associated with the AAP, based on the contents of the videos.
An FIR was lodged last week against Mustafa, a retired IPS officer from the 1985 batch, his wife Razia Sultana, a former minister, as well as Aqil’s wife and sister. Mustafa has refuted the accusations, stating that his son battled drug addiction and mental illness for two decades.
ACP Nehra noted that the SIT would delve into Aqil’s medical history and explore all possible angles related to his demise. He highlighted that the family discord portrayed in the videos could be a contributing factor to the incident. The presence of a syringe mark on Aqil’s hand during the post-mortem examination is also under scrutiny, with ACP Nehra emphasizing the need to await the final post-mortem report before drawing conclusions.
Stressing the priority of establishing the circumstances of the death, ACP Nehra mentioned that Aqil’s social media accounts would be scrutinized. The videos revealed Aqil accusing his father of an affair with his wife and planning his murder, along with alleging his mother and sister’s involvement in a conspiracy against him. Another video depicted Aqil retracting his previous claims, citing mental health issues and schizophrenia, while expressing gratitude for his family’s care. The video concludes abruptly with Aqil expressing fear for his life.