Haryana ASI suicide twist: IPS Puran Kumar’s IAS wife, her MLA brother named in FIR

The Rohtak police on Wednesday registered an FIR of abetment to suicide and criminal conspiracy, naming all those mentioned in the final video of ASI Sandeep Kumar Lather, who allegedly shot himself on Tuesday after accusing IPS officer Y Puran Kumar of corruption.

The FIR (No 305) was lodged at Sadar police station in Rohtak on Wednesday, just hours after Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini met Sandeep’s family at their home in Ladhot village and assured them of justice.

Although the FIR has not been made public, but according to a report by TOI, the FIR names four people, including Puran Kumar’s wife, IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, her brother and AAP MLA Amit Rattan and Head Constable Sushil Kumar, who was Puran’s personal security officer and is currently in custody in a corruption case.

The case was filed under sections 108 (abetment to suicide) and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on a complaint by Sandeep’s wife, Santosh.

Sandeep’s family allows autopsy after FIR read out

According to officials, the FIR details were read to Sandeep’s family on Wednesday evening by Virendra Badkhalsa, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Chief Minister. Two negotiators who were present confirmed that the family agreed to an autopsy only after hearing the FIR’s contents.

Sandeep’s family had refused an autopsy and had kept his body preserved in a rented freezer at their home, demanding that all those named in his video and note be booked first.

Once the FIR was registered, the body was taken to PGIMS Rohtak late at night. The postmortem is scheduled for Thursday morning, after which cremation will take place.

Coincidentally, Puran Kumar’s body was cremated in Chandigarh around the same time, after eight days of a similar deadlock, as his family had also refused an autopsy earlier.

Link between both suicides

Sandeep Kumar was part of the police team investigating the corruption allegations against Puran Kumar. He was also involved in arresting Puran’s former PSO, Sushil Kumar, on October 5. The FIR registered the next day, on October 6, is believed to have triggered Puran Kumar’s suicide.

In his suicide note, Puran Kumar named several senior police officials, including DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and then Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya, accusing them of harassment. Following this, Bijarniya was transferred on October 10, and Kapur was sent on leave on Monday night.

Political pressure and promises of justice

Less than 12 hours after Kapur was sent on leave, ASI Sandeep shot himself, recording a final video in which he defended Kapur as an honest officer and blamed Puran Kumar’s alleged corruption for his death. He also stated that the case had “nothing to do with caste issues.”

When CM Saini visited Sandeep’s family on Wednesday, he was accompanied by ministers Krishan Lal Panwar and Mahipal Singh Dhanda. Sandeep’s sisters broke down before the CM, asking why their brother had to die. The CM assured them that the government would ensure justice.

Apart from filing the FIR, the state government also promised a job for one of Sandeep’s relatives and financial assistance to the family.