CHANDIGARH: Kartik Popli, the son of senior IAS officer Sanjay Popli arrested in a corruption case, died of a gunshot wound at his house here in Sector 11 on Saturday, leading his family to allege he was murdered, while the police called it a suicide.
A vigilance team of Punjab Police conducting a search had brought the 2008 batch IAS officer to his house around 1.30 pm before he was to be produced in the court. His family alleged the team fled when the sound of a gunshot came from the first floor. Kartik (29), a law student preparing for judicial examinations, was found lying dead in his room.
SSP Kuldeep Chahal said, "Kartik killed himself by using his father's licensed pistol."
Rs 20 crore gold seized from IAS officer's house in Chandigarh
The family blamed the vigilance team for his death. His inconsolable mother said, "Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has killed our son. The vigilance team had been harassing us day and night. They killed my son today."
The SSP said, "The family's allegations will be looked into and their statements recorded. An investigation is under way."
Later in the day, the vigilance bureau during a media briefing denied the allegations of the family, claiming its team had already left the house before Kartik allegedly committed suicide. DSP Ajay Kumar, the investigating officer, said, "We did not even enter the house. We remained outside, in the courtyard, during our search. His son shot himself after we left the house."
The vigilance said they recovered 12kg gold, 3kg silver, four Apple iPhones and two Samsung smartwatches from the house. The 12kg gold includes nine bricks, 49 biscuits and 12 coins; the 3kg silver includes three bricks (each 1kg) and 18 coins (each 10 grams). The vigilance said the items were worth Rs 20 crore. It also recovered Rs 3.50 lakh in 700 currency notes of Rs 500 denomination each.
The recoveries were made from a storeroom in the courtyard. "Popli led us to the room where the gold was hidden in a carved-out place. The markings on gold bricks have been tampered with and removed. Some of the gold biscuits have markings of Canada," said the DSP. "Popli is under shock and admitted to civil hospital. If he remains there, his remand will be extended by one day, otherwise he will be sent to judicial custody for 14 days. His assistant Sandeep Vats has been sent to judicial custody for 14 days."
Popli was arrested on June 20 for allegedly demanding a 1% commission as a bribe of Rs 7 lakh for clearance of tenders for laying of sewerage pipeline at Nawanshahr. His accomplice Vats was arrested from Jalandhar. Popli was the CEO of the Punjab Sewerage Board before he was transferred as director, pensions, in May.
Meanwhile, as the news of Kartik's death spread, Congress leaders Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Partap Singh Bajwa visited the house to console the family. "Shocking! Profound condolences and sympathies for Sanjay Popli who lost his son Kartik under tragic circumstances. Making law take its own course and dramatising the process for vested interests that cost a precious life is unpardonable," Warring tweeted.
