By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 27 Oct: Raipur Police have registered an FIR against builder Puneet Aggarwal and initiated an investigation following the death of 52-year-old Pankaj Mittal, who died under suspicious circumstances after falling from the fifth floor of an under-construction building near the ATS Heavenly Foothills colony on Sahastradhara Road yesterday. The case has been registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by the deceased’s family, which has alleged mental harassment linked to a business dispute.
According to the complaint, the incident took place at around 11 a.m. yesterday, when Pankaj Mittal, a resident of Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab, allegedly fell from the fifth floor of the under-construction building and died. The deceased’s brother, Jai Mittal, stated that he received information about his brother’s death and, on reaching Dehradun, found him lying below the building. The complaint further claims that the deceased had left behind a suicide note before his death.
The family has alleged that the suicide note specifically mentioned builder Puneet Aggarwal. According to the complaint, Mittal had business dealings with Aggarwal and was allegedly subjected to mental harassment. The family has demanded a thorough investigation into the matter and appropriate legal action against the accused.
Puneet Aggarwal, against whom the allegations have been levelled, has previously been in the spotlight in connection with several criminal cases, including allegations of assault, intimidation of local and senior citizens and also brandishing a pistol. According to the complaint, five cases have already been registered against him for offences including assault and criminal intimidation. It may also be recalled that the then Dehradun District Magistrate had earlier initiated action against Aggarwal under the Gangsters Act, although he subsequently secured a stay order from the Commissioner Court.
The death of Pankaj Mittal has also drawn comparisons with the widely discussed case involving Dehradun builder Satyendra Singh Sahni, popularly known as Baba Sahni. The comparison stems from allegations that, in both cases, claims of financial disputes, mental stress and serious accusations against other individuals surfaced before the deaths of the persons concerned. Family members have pointed to WhatsApp messages allegedly sent by Mittal before his death, which they say raise questions similar to those seen in the earlier case.
Following the complaint submitted by Jai Mittal, Raipur Police have registered a case against Puneet Aggarwal and commenced a detailed investigation. Confirming the development, Raipur Station House Officer Sanjeet Kumar said that an FIR had been registered against Puneet Aggarwal under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on the basis of the complaint lodged by the deceased’s brother. He added that the investigation has been entrusted to Sub-Inspector Deepak Devadi and that all aspects of the case are being examined.
However, it remains to be seen, how sincerely and keenly the investigation is pursued by the Police since the accused builder is believed to have close connections with the top bureaucrats and police officers and also with many politicians.
