Ex-Delhi chief secy found dead
Rakesh Mehta, former Chief Secretary of Delhi and a senior 1975-batch IAS officer, died by suicide at his flat in Noida's Sector 82 on Tuesday. The police recovered a suicide note from the scene, officials said.
The 75-year-old's body was found hanging inside his flat at Kendriya Vihar-2 Society. Police have taken the body into custody and sent it for post-mortem examination, while investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
According to reports, Mehta's wife, Sumanti Mehta, also a retired IAS officer, had travelled to Dehradun to meet their son. On Saturday, she attempted to call her husband multiple times, but the calls went unanswered. Growing concerned, she returned to Noida.
When Sumanti reached the flat, she found it locked from inside and was unable to get a response despite repeated attempts. She then alerted the police.
A police team reached the flat immediately after her call and, finding the door locked from inside, broke it open to gain entry. Mehta was found hanging inside. Police recovered a suicide note from the residence, which preliminary information suggests referenced mental stress and several physical ailments. Investigators are still examining the note's contents and verifying its authenticity.
Mehta's administrative career spanned more than three decades, during which he held several important positions within the Delhi government and the municipal corporation. He took over as Chief Secretary of Delhi in 2007 and served in the role until his retirement in 2010.
During his tenure, Mehta played a significant administrative role in organising the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in Delhi. He was also involved in several key decisions concerning the city's transport and urban administration during this period.
Mehta is widely credited with transforming Delhi's public transport system, having played a pivotal role in the plan to phase out the city's Blue Line buses and promote low-floor buses instead, a shift that reshaped daily commuting for millions of Delhi residents.
Colleagues and political figures who worked with him remembered him as an experienced and efficient administrator, and news of his death has sent a wave of grief through both administrative and political circles in Delhi.
Police said they are investigating the death from all angles, including verifying the details mentioned in the recovered note and establishing the exact sequence of events leading up to it.
The couple also has a daughter who lives abroad, according to reports. Sumanti Mehta's decision to return to Noida after being unable to reach her husband proved central to the discovery of his death, with the locked door prompting immediate police involvement.
Mehta's death marks the loss of one of Delhi's most recognised administrative figures from the 2000s, a period that saw the city undergo significant infrastructure changes ahead of the Commonwealth Games. Further details regarding the investigation, including the final conclusions from the post-mortem examination, are awaited from police.
