Post-mortem delay prompts police to move court in IPS officer’s death case

With repeated requests to conduct a post-mortem examination (PME) of late IPS officer Y Puran Kumar’s body going unanswered, the Chandigarh Police have approached the court seeking directions to the bereaved family for the identification of the body and completion of medico-legal formalities.

According to an official statement issued by the Chandigarh Police, the investigating team had sent multiple reminders to the family through the Investigating Officer (IO), Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and Inspector General of Police (IGP), urging an early post-mortem to preserve crucial forensic evidence. However, as no response was received, the police were “constrained to move the local court” for necessary directions.

The police emphasised that conducting the PME at the earliest is “absolutely vital at this stage to preserve important forensic evidence and in the interest of justice.”

The case, registered under FIR No. 156 dated October 9 at Police Station Sector 11, Chandigarh, includes offences under Sections 108 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Raminder Kaur of the Chandigarh District Court, on October 14, issued a notice to Amneet P Kumar, IAS, wife of the late IPS officer, directing her to respond to the police application. The notice stated that the police had sought permission to allow the complainant to identify the body of her husband at the PGI for the purpose of post-mortem proceedings.

The court directed Amneet to file a reply either personally or through counsel by October 15, failing which the application would be decided on merit.

Officials indicated that the post-mortem was most likely to be conducted tomorrow, even if the family maintained its current stance.

Police seek laptop, official documents

In a related development, the Chandigarh Police also approached the court for directions to secure the laptop of the deceased officer, which investigators describe as a “crucial piece of evidence.”

A notice issued under Section 94 of the BNS by DSP Charanjit Singh, a member of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), on October 13, asked Amneet to hand over the Apple MacBook Pro belonging to the late officer for forensic examination. The notice mentioned that the device is required to be sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Chandigarh, for authentication of the alleged final note.

The police stated that despite earlier communications, the laptop had not yet been handed over to them.

Response from family

In her reply to the SIT, Amneet P Kumar clarified that she had fully cooperated with the investigation and had allowed SIT officials, along with their IT team, access to the laptop. However, she stated that the team was unable to complete the technical process of generating the required hash value or digital identification details of the device, which led to the delay.

She further requested that a certified backup of the laptop’s contents be provided before forensic analysis, citing the presence of sensitive personal and family data. Her letter stressed the importance of transparency and due process, expressing hope that the investigation would be conducted with “utmost seriousness, diligence, and accountability.”

Hash value and it’s importance

The police maintained that the technical support needed to create hash value is available only at CFSL office and can’t be generated on the spot. Every device is generally a case property, which is either present at the crime scene or involved directly and indirectly leading to crime. In this case, it was suicide attempted by Late IPS Officer Y Puran Kumar. The police explained how hash values are important in an investigation because they act as a unique “digital fingerprint” for electronic evidence, ensuring its integrity and authenticity. By generating a hash value at the time of collection and comparing it to a new one later, investigators can instantly detect if the data has been altered in any way, making the evidence admissible and verifiable in court.

Haryana Govt also approached

Officials confirmed that the UT police have issued formal communications to the Haryana Government for the provision of certain official documents relevant to the case. These documents are expected to aid in the ongoing inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death.

SIT rules out link to Rohtak ASI suicide

Two days after the Chandigarh Police’s SIT visited Rohtak to obtain copies of an FIR and related documents linked to the Y Puran Kumar case, ASI Sandeep Kumar, posted in Cyber Cell, Rohtak, died by suicide on Tuesday. The incident quickly drew attention due to its timing, as the FIR in question is believed to have been one of the triggers behind the late IPS officer’s drastic step. However, senior police officials in Chandigarh dismissed any direct connection between the two cases. Sources clarified that the ASI’s name had not surfaced in the SIT’s ongoing probe and that reports suggesting he was the Investigating Officer (IO) in the FIR were “incorrect and misleading.” The SIT, meanwhile, continues to examine official correspondence and case records obtained from Rohtak as part of its wider investigation into the circumstances surrounding Y. Puran Kumar’s death.

Chandigarh