The Hindu : New Delhi News : Inspector commits suicide

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Saturday, Oct 14, 2006
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New Delhi

Inspector commits suicide

Staff Reporter

He was suspended in October 2004 for registering a false case

NEW DELHI: A 55-year-old Delhi Police inspector under suspension for the past two years was found dead in Connaught Place here on Friday. While the police said there did not appear to be any foul play, a three-page suicide note was recovered from his residence.

According to the police, the body of Inspector Devendra Manchanda was found lying on a bench near Gopal Das Building on Barakhamba Road around 8 a.m. There was no external injury mark on his body. Post-mortem was conducted at Lady Hardinge Medical College.

Inspector Manchanda had been living in New Police Lines with his wife Meena, who is a cancer patient, son Prashant and daughter Pooja. He was suspended on October 12, 2004, on charges of registering a false case against a businessman accusing him of having grabbed a prime property on Shamnath Marg. At that time, he was posted with the District Investigation Unit of North Delhi.

According to the police, the businessman lodged a complaint alleging that Inspector Manchanda had registered the case against him with an intention to grab his property.

"A vigilance inquiry was initiated and it concluded that the allegations had substance, following which he was placed under suspension. Later, the Economic Offences Wing also investigated the matter and found the Inspector guilty of forgery and misdeeds," said police spokesperson Deependra Pathak.

For their part, Inspector Manchanda's family alleged that he was being harassed for having booked a powerful businessman. "He was confident that he would get justice soon. He took the issue to the Central Administrative Tribunal and then appealed in the High Court. But court hearings were getting stretched due to which he went into depression," said his daughter Pooja.

However, the police have clarified that Inspector Manchanda's appeal against the departmental inquiry had been quashed by the CAT. He had challenged the order in the High Court but that too was turned down in February this year.

On Thursday evening, Inspector Manchanda left his New Police Lines residence saying he would be back soon. he next morning, his family got the news of his death.

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