Three people have been arrested and three others, including an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, booked on charges of abetment to suicide in connection with the death of a 70-year-old UK resident whose body was found in a hotel room in Ludhiana on September 21, police said on Thursday. The six accused are the deceased’s relatives and have been booked on allegations of harassing and pressuring him over a family property dispute.
The man, who his family claimed had recently returned from the UK, was found dead in the hotel room after allegedly consuming poison. Police recovered a suicide note and a video made from his phone from the room.
An FIR in the case was registered at Division Number 5 police station on the complaint of his son.
Assistant commissioner of police (Civil Lines) Sarabjeet Singh said the case prima facie appeared to be linked to a family property dispute.
The victim was adopted
According to the complaint, the man was adopted by his paternal uncle during childhood, who had four daughters. After the uncle’s death in 1990, his wife transferred the family property in the man’s name. She died in 2021.
The complainant alleged that after her death, the victim’s three sisters and their husbands began pressuring and harassing him with the alleged intention of taking control of the property. He alleged that they taunted the man and told him to consume poison and die.
{{/usCountry}}The complainant alleged that after her death, the victim’s three sisters and their husbands began pressuring and harassing him with the alleged intention of taking control of the property. He alleged that they taunted the man and told him to consume poison and die.
{{/usCountry}}The complainant further alleged that a false FIR had earlier been registered against his father, forcing him to leave for abroad.
According to the complaint, the man faced harassment again after returning to India and eventually consumed poison in the hotel. He left behind a suicide note naming those he held responsible for his distress.
The six accused include his three sisters, one son-in-law, a woman IRS officer who is the sister-in-law of one of the daughters and has been booked for alleged conspiracy, and another male relative.
What police say
Police said three of the accused have been arrested in connection with the case and a hunt is on to nab others.
ACP Sarabjeet Singh said the deceased had himself been booked in a separate case for allegedly forging the will of his parents, who adopted him. An immigration lookout circular (LOC) had also been issued against him in that case.
Police are also verifying the family’s claim that the man had recently returned from the UK.