CID to probe Himachal cop’s link to woman’s suicide

SHIMLA - The Himachal Pradesh government Tuesday ordered a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into a case of suicide by an unmarried woman, in which a senior police official has been booked for abetment and trying to destroy evidence.

“I have ordered a CID probe into the case in which a police officer is allegedly involved in the suicide of a woman in Shimla,” Director General of Police G.S. Gill told reporters here.

Inspector General (Law and Order) Pradeep Kumar Sarpal, his wife and his son Sidharth were booked Sunday under Sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 201 (causing destruction of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code.

Ritu, 28, who was allegedly in love with Sidharth, committed suicide Sunday by hanging herself from a ceiling fan. At that time, she was alone in the house, police said.

Gill said no timeframe has been fixed for the CID and it has been asked to complete the investigation on a priority basis.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress Tuesday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident.

Raising the issue through point of order in the state assembly, Congress leader Vidya Stokes said: “Since a senior police official and his son, who is a sub-judge in the state, are involved in the case, the matter should be investigated by the CBI as a fair probe by the state police is not possible.”

“Moreover, the accused reached the residence of the victim to destroy the evidence,” she said.

Ritu’s relatives alleged that she took the extreme step after the Sarpals refused to let her marry their son. Sidharth and Ritu were known to each other for 15 years.

Sarpal, posted in the police headquarters here, however, said: “My son and the victim were friends for a long time. The mother of the woman approached us with a marriage proposal. We considered it and consulted astrologers but the horoscopes didn’t match. We decided the marriage was not possible.”

Superintendent of Police R.M. Sharma said the woman’s father alleged that Sarpal, his son and some policemen entered his house after the suicide and tried to tamper with the evidence.

Sharma Monday wrote to Gill to get the case investigated by the CID. “I have written to Gill to transfer the case to the CID as I am not competent to carry on with the investigation as a senior police officer is involved in the case,” he said.