Tainted officer dies by suicide, say police

JAIPUR: A coronavirus positive income tax (I-T) department officer convicted in a corruption case died by suicide on Monday morning in a Jaipur hospital, said police.

“The deceased, a native of Kota, was 45. He was convicted in a corruption case and was sent to Jaipur central jail on January 22, three days ago by a local court,” said Abhijeet Singh, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), East.

Singh added that before his admission in the Jaipur Central jail the officer tested positive for coronavirus. “After the results of Covid report, the deceased was admitted in a ward on the sixth floor of the RUHS hospital, a dedicated Covid care centre. Initial inquiry reveals that he was alone in his ward and around 4am on Monday morning, the security guards had seen the man on his bed in the ward. Later, when the guards came again, the man was found dead after which the security guard informed the RUHS management, who later informed the Pratap Nagar police,” the DCP East said.

As it is a case of death during judicial custody, the police reached the spot along with a sub-divisional magistrate. The family members have been informed.

The body has been kept in mortuary for postmortem. “As of now the reason behind the suicide is unknown,” said DCP East.

In December, 2016, the deceased who was posted as inspector in I-T department in Jhalawar district was caught red-handed taking a bribe of ₹1 lakh by the CBI. The agency also found new currency notes worth ₹24 lakh during searches at his residence.