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Former Punjab Police chief Mohammad Mustafa - at the centre of a controversy after his son Aqeel Akhtar's mysterious death - has made fresh claims that add new twists to the case that is getting murkier by the hour. Punjab Ex-DGP's Fresh Claims About Complainant Mustafa has alleged a political conspiracy behind the case, accusing rivals of targeting his family. He has also reportedly revealed that the complainant in the case, Shamsuddin, who claimed to be a neighbour of the Mustafa family, is allegedly the personal assistant of an MLA. "Right now I am at my village. But my house is in an isolated place and I have no neighbours. How is he my neighbour then?" Mustafa said in an interview to NDTV. Also Read: Punjab Ex-DGP Son Death: What Actually Happened To Aqeel Akhtar? He revealed that Shamsuddin had in the past approached him for help after a case was filed against him in a bank fraud case. "In 25 years, he met me in 2019 when a case was filed against him for bank fraud. He came for help. But I never help anyone do the wrong thing. That's why I fight with the entire world... How can he claim I tortured my child?" Mustafa asked. He further hinted at political motives behind the case, saying, "I knew we were so-called high-profile individuals. I also know the dirty deeds that our rivals can do and the extent to which they can go." Aqil was found unconscious at his Panchkula home last week and was rushed by his family to the hospital, where he was declared dead. The family initially said he died of a drug overdose. However, the case took a turn after social media posts and videos surfaced, prompting a complaint by Shamsuddin Chaudhary, a resident of Malerkotla in Punjab. An FIR under Sections 103(1) (murder) and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered against Mustafa, his ex-minister wife Razia Sultana, their daughter, and daughter-in-law. Mustafa has dismissed the allegations, saying, "The registration of an FIR absolutely does not mean that someone's guilt has been proven. The real investigation will begin now after the FIR is registered, and in a few days, the truth will come out before the public." Son Aqeel Akhtar Was Violent, Beat His Wife: Punjab Ex-DGP The former DGP also recounted his late son's struggle with drugs. "My son used to study in one of the best schools in the country... He started with soft drugs - weed, ganja. He fell into bad company with a friend from Jammu. He became very aggressive over time. There are also documented cases, which are part of the Punjab Police record. There are two cases in Panchkula. In 2024, he became very violent, he did some things that I came to know the next morning, my daughter-in-law was half dead, I called the police commissioner and gave him to them along with a report of 18 years of his deeds," Mustafa said, while speaking to NDTV. He recalled several incidents illustrating Aqeel's aggressive behaviour: "But everyone got upset. In two hours the policeman in me died and I became a father again. I brought him back by evening as everyone was crying. One day my son set my room on fire. He was high on something. Our cook was injured and was taken to hospital. That day too we had reported it to the police. He was deep into drugs." Mustafa also spoke about an August video recorded by Aqeel in which the 33-year-old alleged that his father had an affair with his wife and that his mother Razia and sister were part of a conspiracy against him. Mustafa noted that another video had surfaced later in which Aqeel reportedly said his family had kept him alive, and had he been in another household, he would have been kicked out. "I couldn't kick him out of the house because he is our son," Mustafa said. Aqeel's Schizophrenia Claims Aqeel's videos also included statements about his mental health struggles. "I was suffering from schizophrenia. Thanks to Allah, my family members are the way they are. I was unwell, so I did not understand anything. I am better now. I want to say sorry. Thank God I am blessed with such a family. Let's see what happens," he said in one video. At another point, he suddenly reversed his statements saying, "Will they get me killed? They are all scoundrels." Mustafa added that he knew this case would blow up and had hence got postmortem done. "People don't like postmortem, especially among Muslims. Even my family objected to it. But I told them my son's video was viral and people took advantage, so I will get the postmortem done," Mustafa said. "I was adamant about getting the postmortem done, and in the preliminary report that I got, it mentioned suspected overdose. There were injection marks in both arms. They have taken samples for forensic investigation." For all the latest news and india news, visit Times Now to get live updates and breaking news around the world.
