Former Delhi Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta dies by suicide at Noida home, police recovers note citing health issues
New Delhi / Noida, Sept 9:
Former Delhi Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta, who was the administrative head of the national capital during the glorious 15-year tenure of Congress Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and oversaw the 2010 Commonwealth Games, allegedly died by suicide at his residence in Gautam Budh Nagar, officials said on Tuesday.
Mehta, 74, a 1975-batch IAS officer of AGMUT cadre, was found hanging from a ceiling fan at his rented flat in Kendriya Vihar-2 Society, Sector 82, Noida on Saturday, September 6. The matter came to light around 1:30 pm on Sunday when society security guards broke open the door.
According to Noida Police, Mehta had been living alone in the flat for about five years. His wife, also a retired IAS officer of Delhi cadre, and their son live in Dehradun, while his married daughter is settled in London. His wife and son used to visit him occasionally.
Police said Mehta’s wife had spoken to him over phone on Saturday night and the conversation was normal. When family members could not reach him despite repeated calls on Sunday afternoon, they alerted the security officer of the society. Two guards went to the flat and found him hanging. Police and forensic team examined the spot. The body was sent for post-mortem and later handed over to the family. He was cremated at Lodhi Road crematorium on Monday.
A purported one-page suicide note was recovered near his body, which is being minutely examined by police. In the note, Mehta cited “mental and health issues” and prolonged illness as the reason behind the extreme step and stated that no one was responsible for his death.
Officials said Mehta had been suffering from hypertension, diabetes and other age-related ailments and had trembling in his right hand and leg. Police said the family has not lodged any complaint and no foul play is suspected. Further inquiry is underway.
Mehta took over as Chief Secretary of Delhi in 2007 and retired in November 2010 after serving for more than three years. The 2010 Commonwealth Games were organised during his tenure. He is credited with overseeing execution of several key transport, power and civic infrastructure projects in the capital, including property tax reforms, power privatization, phasing out of Blueline buses and introduction of low-floor buses.
He also served as Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Delhi and held several other important positions in Delhi government. Former colleagues remembered him as an efficient, reform-oriented administrator.
