More officers inducted into team probing Tripura DGP’s death

Seven more officials have been inducted into the team probing the death of former Tripura DGP Anurag Dhankar, an official order issued by West Tripura SP Namit Pathak said on Monday.

The move comes amid demands by the CPI(M) and the Congress for a judicial probe into Dhankar’s death. Dhankar, who had led the CBI probe into the alleged Rs 13,000-crore Punjab National Bank fraud involving diamantaire Nirav Modi and the reinvestigation into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, was found hanging in the washroom attached to his chamber at the state police headquarters here on July 20.

“In the interest of ensuring a thorough, coordinated and expeditious investigation of the case, the probe team headed by Pathak has been reconstituted by adding seven more officials,” the order said.

It said a daily briefing would be held to review the progress of the investigation, discuss case developments, assign tasks and formulate the strategy for further investigation.

“A daily progress report containing the investigation carried out, evidence collected, technical analysis undertaken and further action proposed shall be submitted to the West Tripura SP by all officers concerned,” it said.

Earlier in the day, a CPI(M) legislature party delegation met Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu and sought his intervention for a High Court-monitored probe into Dhankar’s death.

“Like us, people across the country find it hard to believe that an officer like Dhankar, who successfully led the CBI in several high-profile cases, died by suicide by hanging in his office chamber, the most secure place in the state. His body was found in the washroom attached to his chamber in full uniform, with his cap lying on the floor,” CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury told reporters.

He claimed that Dhankar had received the ceremonial guard of honour at the police headquarters, a weekly ritual, barely an hour before the incident and showed no signs of stress or tension.

“The officer who was entrusted with the security of 44 lakh people in Tripura would end his life in this manner? There are reasonable grounds to question the suicide theory,” Chaudhury said.

He said the CPI(M) delegation urged the governor to direct the state Government to order a high court-monitored investigation to ensure justice for Dhankar’s family.

“We have no objection to the three-member team headed by West Tripura SP Namit Pathak probing the case, but the entire probe should be monitored by the high court,” he said.

On Sunday, senior Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman also demanded a judicial probe into the death of Dhankar. Responding to the demands, BJP MLA Ranjit Das alleged that the opposition parties were trying to mislead the people over the unfortunate death of the DGP.

“Both Chaudhury and Roy Barman have been trying to mislead the people over the death of the DGP for political mileage. A probe has already begun in a completely transparent manner,” Das said.