Jeweller committed suicide, no demand made from family: DRI tells HC

Jeweller Gaurav Gupta committed suicide by jumping from its office window two days ago, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence told the Delhi High Court today while denying that Rs 1.5 crore was demanded from his family for his release.

The probe agency denied the allegation levelled by the victim's family in its status report submitted before Justice Mukta Gupta, pursuant to the court's direction.

Besides the DRI, the Delhi Police too filed its status report and said a medical board of six AIIMS doctors has been constituted and the autopsy of the 40-year-old jeweller was underway.

The judge, after taking on record the reports filed by the DRI and the police, sought a further status report from the agencies by May 15.

The court was hearing the petition filed by Gaurav's mother, through advocate Vijay Aggarwal, seeking a CBI probe into her son's death on April 25 alleging that he had died under "suspicious circumstances".

Gaurav, who was questioned at the DRI office in connection with a purported gold smuggling case, fell from the probe agency's building in the CGO complex area in south Delhi.

In its status report, filed through advocate Satish Agarwal, the DRI said, "Gaurav Gupta was in the visitor's room on 6th floor around noon on April 25. He jumped through the window of the visitor's room at around noon. He was immediately rushed to Safdarjung Hospital by DRI and CISF officials. However, his life could not be saved."
It said "the Directorate denies averment made in the writ petition that a demand was made to release the deceased."