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Police yet to questions IAF officers over cadet’s death
The 27-year-old air force cadet was found hanging in his hostel room on September 21. Police suspected it to be a case of suicide after a seven-page note was recovered from the hostel room that allegedly named six people — including an air commodore, a group captain and a wing commander.
City police probing the death of a cadet at the Air Force Technical College (AFTC) are yet to question six Indian Air Force (IAF) officers named in the FIR even 22 days after the case was registered, officials in the know of the development said on Thursday.
The 27-year-old air force cadet was found hanging in his hostel room on September 21. Police suspected it to be a case of suicide after a seven-page note was recovered from the hostel room that allegedly named six people — including an air commodore, a group captain and a wing commander.
The deceased’s family, however, alleged that the cadet, who was upset after being discharged from service following a disciplinary enquiry, was murdered.
When asked deputy commissioner of police (DCP), North, Vinayak Patil told HT that the officers will be questioned in the due course of time.
“Everything will be done as per the procedure. As of now, we are collecting the statement from the witnesses and we are in the process of collecting further evidence. We can’t share further details of the investigation,” said Patil.
Patil said viscera samples were received at the police station on September 26 and they have been sent to the forensic science laboratory (FSL). “We have received an initial autopsy report as of now. We still need a complete report, which we will get following the FSL report,” said the DCP.
When asked about the investigation, the DCP said police were collecting statements from those who were with cadets before the event. “We are yet to question the suspects mentioned in the FIR,” he said.
On September 25, the IAF initiated a court of inquiry into the matter.
The under-trainee flying officer had joined the force in February last year, but his training was terminated on September 20 for “misconduct” based on an investigation into a complaint against him by a woman trainee officer, the IAF said in a statement, condoling his death.
