"If I am guilty, I am ready to be hanged...": Punjab ex-DGP Mohammad Mustafa on FIR against family

Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 23 (ANI): Former Punjab DGP Mohammad Mustafa has broken his silence over the death of his son, Aqil Akhtar, amidst allegations and an FIR registered against him, his wife, Razia Sultana, daughter, and daughter-in-law.
In his interaction with ANI, Mustafa described the loss of his son as the "greatest grief a father can bear," emphasising that Aqil struggled with drug addiction for 18 years. He attributed his son's death to an overdose, dismissing allegations of foul play as "petty politics."
"...There is no greater pain for a father than losing his only son... This tragedy has awakened the soldier within me to stand against those with petty mindsets... No matter the mistakes a child makes, a father always shields them from the world. Yet, some have tried to exploit this situation for petty politics... I have no fear, for we have done nothing wrong... Have you ever heard of a father killing his own son?" said Mustafa.
An FIR was registered based on a complaint by Shamsuddin Chaudhary, who claims Aqil was held hostage and made serious allegations against the family in a video before his death. Mustafa denied any wrongdoing, stating he's cooperating with the investigation and welcomes the truth to come out.
"...He (Shamsuddin Chaudhary) has become a pawn of a politician...I am not scared of anyone. If you visit a police station to report a complaint, it is the police's responsibility to register a case. The one paragraph that he (Shamsuddin Chaudhary) gave the police converted it into an FIR. I welcome this and I will fully cooperate with the investigation...If I am guilty, I am ready to be hanged...," said Mustafa.
Aqil Akhtar, 35, was found unconscious at his home in Sector 4, Panchkula, and declared dead at the hospital. The police initially found no signs of foul play, but the case took a new turn after videos and social media posts surfaced.
Discussing drug abuse in Punjab, the former DGP also claimed that his son had struggled with drug abuse for 18 years, and he considers himself one of the unlucky fathers who faced this unbearable situation.
"In Punjab, drug abuse among youth is rampant, and I read daily news of youth killing their own families. But have you ever heard of a father, mother, daughter, or daughter-in-law being involved in such a crime? My son struggled with drug addiction for 18 years...I count myself among the unlucky fathers facing this unbearable situation..." added Mustafa.
Furthermore, he also accused the complainant, Shamsuddin Chaudhary, of being a pawn of the politician, and the former DGP declared that he would cooperate with the investigation.
Earlier, Former Punjab DGP Mohammad Mustafa refuted allegations made against him following the death of his son, Aakil Akhtar.
Speaking to the media in Saharanpur, Mustafa made several revelations, stating, "My son had been a drug addict for 18 years." "I will not say much more. Got him treated at several places. I used to lock him in the room for two to three days," he said.
Referring to the accusations against him, the former DGP said, "The person making allegations against me, Shamsuddin, is the PA of an MLA. We got him treated at many places. After my son's death, we were grieving. But when allegations were made, today I have buried the father inside me and will now face the accusations like a soldier."
Mustafa claimed that a conspiracy was being hatched against his family, saying, "Our family is a high-profile family, that's why conspiracies are being hatched."
Meanwhile, Panchkula DCP Shrishti Gupta confirmed on Tuesday that an FIR has been registered and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the case.
"Former DGP Mohammad Mustafa and former minister Razia Sultana's son, Aakil Akhtar, was found dead under suspicious circumstances at his residence in MDC, Panchkula. We received a complaint and based on that, we have now filed an FIR under sections of murder and conspiracy," Gupta said.
"FIR has been registered against the family members, including the deceased's father, mother, sister, and wife. The complainant has expressed suspicions based on the allegations of foul play," the DCP said.
Mustafa, a retired 1985-batch IPS officer, and Sultana have been booked in connection with the death of their 35-year-old son, Aqil Akhter, at his residence in Haryana's Panchkula on October 16. Akhter's wife and sister have also been booked. (ANI)