Former Assam Director General of Police Shankar Barua, whose premises were searched by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with Saradha scam last month, allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself at his residence on Wednesday.
Guwahati Senior Superintendent of Police A P Tiwari said that Barua was rushed to a local nursing home around 12 noon and was declared dead there. “Barua is no more. We are investigating. We cannot say anything now. Only after the investigation we can talk about the details,” Tiwari said.
The body of Barua, who is said to have shot himself in the head, has been sent for post-mortem.
Family sources said that Barua had slipped into depression after his name was allegedly linked to the Saradha scam. Barua was undergoing treatment in a local hospital after he had complained of chest pain last week. He was discharged on Wednesday morning.
“He came home and within half an hour he went to the terrace and shot himself with a pistol. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital by family members,” they said.
Non-stop coverage by television channels relating to him had upset the former director general, the family said. CBI spokesperson in Delhi said that former director general of Assam police was neither examined by the CBI nor was he summoned.
Barua’s name got linked with the cam after an employee of Saradha’s media house alleged last year that he had provided ‘protection’ to them in Assam which was arranged by popular Assamese singer and filmmaker Sadananda Gogoi on behalf of the group.
Gogoi was taken to Kolkata by CBI for further questioning and was subsequently arrested on September 12. CBI had conducted searches in 12 premises on August 28 in connection with the multi-crore rupees ponzi scheme scam which included residences of two former Assam ministers.
Image: Former Director General of Police of Assam Shankar Barua. Photograph: PTI photo
