A retired IPS officer Gaurav Dutt allegedly committed suicide on February 19. Dutt, a 1986 batch IPS officer, left a suicide note in which he blamed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of abetting his suicide for keeping him on compulsory wait for nearly a decade, reported News 18.
Eight-page suicide note found
The eight-page letter, which went viral over the social media said that Mamata Banerjee kept Dutt on “compulsory waiting”- a punitive step when an officer is not given a posting – and for withholding his dues after he retired on December 31, 2018. Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Mukul Roy has demanded Ms Banerjee’s arrest for abetment of suicide and has also asked CBI investigation into the case. Mr Roy said that this is for the first time that a senior IPS officer committed suicide and blamed the government or a party leader. Dutt’s wife and Mukul Roy are likely to approach the Supreme Court for justice.
A 1986 batch IPS officer of West Bengal cadre GC Dutt committed suicide on February 19. He has accused West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee for abetment. pic.twitter.com/4CV9uT3fwB
— Sumit Kumar Singh (@invincibleidea) February 21, 2019
On February 19, Dutt’s wife after returning home found her husband in a pool of blood at his Salt Lake home. He had slashed his wrists. He was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to injuries.
“Thus a self-imposed death sentence by me should give you peace of mind, happiness and contentment and may this act result in sinful reactions which will cleanse you and awaken in other senior police officers some compassion and empathy which is sadly lacking today,” Dutt’s letter to Mamata Banerjee said.
“This act is a symbolic protest against the dirty games of ruling government meant to pick and choose honest, hardworking officers like me and Nazrul Islam IPS and destroy them systematically and make an example for others who are not servile/ subservient enough,” it said.
Dutt was on compulsory wait since 2009
The state government is yet to comment on the issue. However, sources claim that the dues mentioned by the Dutt in the suicide note were not pending and Dutt was on hold because of disciplinary proceedings initiated against him. According to the law, compulsory wait is not a punishment. It was designed as a short-term measure, when the government is looking for a suitable post for an officer, reported Hindustan Times. Dutt was on compulsory wait since 2009, after wives of two constables petitioned the state Human Rights Commission alleging sexual harassment by him. Countering it, Dutt had alleged that he was framed in the harassment case because he tried to free the police training college at Barrackpore of corruption and other malpractices.
In the letter he wrote, “I could not withstand govt’s vindictiveness, revengeful attitude and vendetta to demoralise and destroy me”. In 2012, Dutt again faced disciplinary action for alleged financial irregularities. He further said that his financial position after retirement has become precarious with the medical treatment of him and his wife.
Opposition parties demand an investigation
BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said that he would request the Union home ministry to conduct a thorough probe asking why the state government delayed the departmental inquiry against Dutt for ten years. Sinha further said that Dutt was a victim of political vendetta as he could not become a yes-man like many of his colleagues. CPI (M) politburo member and Lok Sabha MP Mohammad Salim agreed Sinha’s vendetta point. The state Congress president Somen Mitra said that he felt sorry for Dutt’s family as political vendetta forced him to take an extreme step like this.
The Logical Indian Take
Harassment of public officials at the hand of the system and politicians is a story that never ends and repeated time and again. This is not the first time and won’t be last time. A probe must be initiated to find out how for a decade, the IPS officer was on the wait and also to probe the allegations against him, if it was put to frame him.
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