‘My daughter-in-law was tortured,’ alleges Ex-DGP Mustafa amid ongoing probe

Former Punjab DGP Mohammad Mustafa rejected allegations linking him and his wife, ex-minister Razia Sultana, to their son Aqil Akhtar’s death. The Haryana Police filed an FIR against the couple on Thursday. Hours later, Mustafa called the charges “false and politically motivated.”

Speaking to reporters, Mustafa said, “The registration of an FIR doesn’t prove guilt. The real investigation begins now. The truth will reach the public soon.”

Aqil, 35, was found unconscious at his Sector 4 home in Panchkula earlier this month. Doctors declared him dead at a local hospital. Initially, police saw no foul play and handed over the body after a post-mortem. However, new social media posts and videos surfaced later, sparking suspicion and a fresh complaint by Shamshudeen Chaudhary from Malerkotla.

Mustafa hit back at his critics. “Those spreading baseless allegations should prepare to face the law,” he warned. “We are grieving our son’s loss, but that doesn’t mean we will stay silent against dirty politics.”

The retired DGP claimed Aqil battled drug addiction for nearly two decades. “He overdosed on buprenorphine,” Mustafa said. “We treated him since 2007, but he kept relapsing. He even set our house on fire once.”

He described his son’s mental health struggles. “Aqil suffered from psychosis and imagined things. He harassed his wife and mother for drug money. We filed complaints several times but withdrew them because he was our blood,” Mustafa said.

The former DGP added that his grandson had gone into depression watching his mother suffer. “My daughter-in-law endured immense pain. Those blaming her have no idea what she faced,” he said. “We tried to handle the situation privately, but his addiction destroyed the family.”

Mustafa alleged that drug peddlers reintroduced Aqil to narcotics, including the ICE drug, which led to another relapse. “He attacked my security staff and even Chandigarh Police officers. His addiction controlled his mind,” he said.

The case took a sharp turn after Chaudhary, a family acquaintance and former Akali leader, cited Aqil’s social media posts. In those videos, Aqil accused his father and wife of having an affair and said he feared for his life. “I discovered my wife’s affair with my dad. I fear they will frame me or kill me,” Aqil said in one video.

He also alleged his mother and sister were part of a conspiracy. However, weeks later, he appeared in another video retracting those claims, blaming mental illness for his earlier statements. Even that video ended abruptly with him saying, “Will they get me killed?”

Chaudhary later switched to the Aam Aadmi Party but claimed he only acted after watching Aqil’s videos. “I met Aqil a few times. He seemed disturbed,” he said.

Panchkula DCP Srishti Gupta confirmed that police registered an FIR after reviewing the videos and photographs. She said the department formed a Special Investigation Team led by an ACP. “The SIT will conduct a fair and evidence-based probe,” Gupta stated.

Mohammad Mustafa retired as Punjab DGP in 2021. He later joined the Congress, while his wife, Razia Sultana, served as a cabinet minister and three-time MLA from Malerkotla.

As emotions and accusations rise, the case continues to unfold with fresh twists and political overtones.