Punjab ex-DGP breaks silence on son's death: ‘I am ready to be hanged if ...'

In a deeply personal and forceful rebuttal, former Punjab director general of police (DGP) Mohammad Mustafa has broken his silence on the death of his son, dismissing the murder charges filed against him and his family as a “politically motivated conspiracy” and asserting his 35-year-old son died from a drug overdose.

Mustafa, his wife and former minister Razia Sultana, their daughter and daughter-in-law were named in a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Haryana Police in connection with the death of Aqil Akhtar at his Panchkula home on October 16.

“There is no greater pain for a father than losing his only son… This tragedy has awakened the soldier within me to stand against those with petty mindsets,” the retired IPS officer told news agency ANI.

The case took a dramatic turn after an initial police inquiry found no evidence of foul play. Panchkula deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Shrishti Gupta was cited by HT as saying that an FIR had now been registered under sections related to murder and criminal conspiracy. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been established to lead the probe.

“Former DGP Mohammad Mustafa and former minister Razia Sultana’s son, Aqil Akhtar, was found dead under suspicious circumstances at his residence… We received a complaint and based on that, we have now filed an FIR,” DCP Gupta stated.

The complaint was filed by Shamsuddin Chaudhary, who alleged that Aqil was held hostage and had recorded a video making serious claims against his family before his death. Mustafa dismissed the complainant as a “pawn of a politician.”

Mustafa provided a harrowing account of his son’s nearly two-decade-long battle with drug addiction, which he said had devastated the family. “My son had been a drug addict for 18 years. I got him treated at several places. I even locked him in the room for two to three days,” he was quoted by HT as saying, maintaining he tried every possible method to help his son recover.

He squarely attributed the death to an overdose, framing the criminal case as an exploitation of a private family tragedy. “This is not a case of murder. It’s a tragedy and people are trying to turn it into politics,” he said. “No matter the mistakes a child makes, a father always shields them from the world. Yet, some have tried to exploit this situation for petty politics... Have you ever heard of a father killing his own son?”

The former police chief, known for his service record, stated that the allegations had fundamentally changed his response to the loss. “After my son’s death, we were grieving. But when allegations were made, today I have buried the father inside me and will now face the accusations like a soldier,” he said, vowing to fight the charges.

He welcomed the investigation but remained defiant: “I welcome this and I will fully cooperate with the investigation... If I am guilty, I am ready to be hanged.”

Police officials have indicated that the SIT’s investigation will comprehensively review medical and forensic reports, alongside digital evidence, including the alleged video statement from the deceased that surfaced after his death.