The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought a response from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and the city government over a woman’s plea seeking CBI probe into the death of her 40-year-old son, who allegedly jumped to death from the probe agency’s office here on Wednesday.
Shalimar Bagh-based jeweller Gaurav Gupta, who was questioned at the DRI office in connection with purported gold smuggling, allegedly jumped to death from the agency’s office in CGO complex here on Wednesday, said an official statement.
The plea
The plea has alleged that “suspicious circumstances” led to Gaurav’s death. The court issued notices to the DRI and the Delhi government, and sought a status report from them by Friday.
Justice Mukta Gupta also directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) to get a medical board constituted at AIIMS and get Gaurav’s autopsy conducted. The court also told the police to preserve footage from CCTV cameras at Gaurav’s shop and the DRI office or nearby areas, if available.
Gaurav was taken to the DRI office on Wednesday in connection with the alleged gold smuggling case after his shop and residence here were raided by officials, the plea filed by his mother, through advocate Vijay Aggarwal, said.
Senior advocate Kirti Uppal, also appearing for the petitioner, alleged that the mother soon received a call from the DRI demanding ₹1.5 crore if she wanted to save her son from torture. The family discovered that Gaurav was dead later in the day, the plea alleged, adding that he died under suspicious circumstances.
DRI officials had on Wednesday released a press note on the incident saying that Gaurav had jumped out of a window at 12 p.m. after he was brought to the probe agency’s office for questioning. Gold and silver worth nearly ₹13 crore had been seized from his shop and residence earlier in the day. He was waiting in the visitors’ room inside the DRI office when he jumped, the statement had said.
He was rushed to Safdarjung Hospital but was declared dead, it had said.
