New Delhi: Once CBI chief and governor of Nagaland, Ashwani Kumar was found dead at his Shimla residence on Wednesday.
Kumar was 69 and is survived by his wife, son and daughter-in-law. He died by suicide.
Kumar’s body was found hanging by his son and daughter-in-law around 7.10 pm, Himachal Pradesh DGP Sanjay Kundu was quoted by Indian Express as having said.
A suicide note has been found, and the family does not suspect any foul play, the DGP added.
The 1973-batch IPS officer had been a surprise announcement for the post of the director of the premier investigating agency in August 2008. When he succeeded Vijay Shanker, in the midst of the agency’s probe into the Aarushi Talwar murder case, two other names, both senior to him, had been doing the rounds.
Kumar had expressed his displeasure over the probe into the twin murders of Noida schoolgirl Talwar, the daughter of dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, and the family’s domestic help, Hemraj.
“This case is a litmus test for me. I need to know who killed Aarushi, parents or someone else. I feel agitated over this case,” he had said.
During his tenure, a closure report was prepared. This later formed the basis of the arrests and conviction of Aarushi’s parents. Both the parents are now out on bail and the case is being heard in higher courts.
“I like the Tom and Jerry cartoon show. Police are like the cat while the criminals are like mice. So, Tom never leaves Jerry,” Kumar had said in an interview to PTI in 2008 after taking over as CBI director.
Kumar is a recipient of the President’s Police medal for meritorious and distinguished services, had served as joint director (north) and additional director (anti-corruption) in the CBI. He also served for a while in the Special Protection Group.
“A man of integrity and honesty who was always smiling in trying conditions. I am shocked,” said former CBI director P.C. Sharma. Kumar served under him as the Joint Director (policy), a post within the CBI which acts as a bridge between the government and the agency.
As CBI director, Kumar focused on the economic offences and roped in the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to help the agency in probing white-collar crimes.
Hailing from the small town of Nahan in Himachal Pradesh, Kumar also served as Director General of Police of his home state and is remembered for ordering the removal of all barriers and checkpoints that caused long traffic snarls in the state.
In 2013, the then United Progressive Alliance government appointed him as governor of Nagaland, a post from which he tendered his resignation after the BJP-led NDA government came to power in 2014. He was the first CBI director to have been appointed to the post of a governor.
An avid lover of devotional music and ghazals, Kumar also taught for a while at the O.P. Jindal University in Haryana.
(With PTI inputs)
If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. The Suicide Prevention India Foundation maintains a list of telephone numbers they can call to speak in confidence. You could also accompany them to the nearest hospital.