Key Points:
Police file FIR against ex-DGP Mohammed Mustafa, Razia Sultana, and family in the murder of Aqil Akhtar.
A 16-minute video recorded by Aqil before his death alleged that his father was having an affair with his wife.
SIT formed to investigate conspiracy and foul play behind the mysterious death.
A new twist has emerged in the mysterious death of 33-year-old Aqil Akhtar. Akhtar was the son of former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Mohammed Mustafa and former Punjab minister and Congress leader Razia Sultana. He was found dead under strange circumstances from a suspected drug overdose at his Panchkula residence in August 2025.
Before his death, he had accused his father of having an illicit relationship with his wife. In a video posted on his social media days before his death, he claimed that his family was plotting to murder him. Suspicion of foul play intensified after a complaint was lodged by their neighbour Shamshuddin Chaudhary and a 16-minute video recorded by Aqil on August 27 resurfaced.
Police in Chandigarh have registered a case against Mohammed Mustafa, Razia Sultana, their daughter, and Aqil's wife under Sections 103(1) and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The charges stem from allegations of murder and conspiracy following Aqil's death.
See Also: Cold Case Breakthrough: 13-Year-Old Murder Mystery Solved Through Cricket in Mangalore
Aqil was found unconscious at his home by family members, who rushed him to a hospital where he was declared dead. The family stated that the death was caused by a drug overdose, while initial police findings suggested possible health complications from consumed medicine.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the case, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police Srishti Gupta. She stated that initial assessments did not indicate foul play, but the complaint from Shamshuddin Chaudhary, a neighbor and family acquaintance, along with Aqil's videos and social media posts, prompted the FIR. The team is examining digital evidence, call records, the post-mortem report, and potential family involvement.
In the 16-minute video recorded on August 27, Aqil detailed allegations against his family. He claimed to have discovered an affair between his father and his wife in 2018. "I have discovered my wife's affair with my dad. I am in a lot of stress and mental trauma. I don't know what to do," he said.
Aqil alleged that his mother and sister were part of a conspiracy to have him imprisoned or killed. He stated that his family falsely detained him, sent him to a rehabilitation center despite being clean, and deprived him of his business income. "I was earlier in rehab. I was clean. This confinement was illegal because I was not intoxicated," he said.
Aqil further described mental harassment, physical abuse, and threats of false cases. "They threaten me that if I take any step against them, they will get me framed in a rape or a murder case," he added. He suspected his father knew his wife before their wedding and questioned his daughter's paternity.
"The first day, she didn't let me touch her. She did not marry me, she married my father," he said. Aqil mentioned family members dismissing his claims as hallucinations or delusions due to schizophrenia. He appealed for help, saying, "Somebody, please help me. Somebody, please save me."
In a second video, Aqil retracted his allegations, attributing them to mental illness. "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," he said.
However, the video ends abruptly with him stating, "Will they get me killed? They are all scoundrels." His face is not visible during parts of the recording.
Mohammed Mustafa responded to the allegations in an interview with NDTV. He said the police are bound to register a FIR in high-profile cases and will verify whether the allegations are true or false later.
"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," Mustafa stated.
Razia Sultana served as a cabinet minister in the Congress government in Punjab from 2017 to 2022 and was an MLA from Malerkotla until losing in the 2022 elections. The investigation continues, with police analyzing all evidence to determine the cause of Aqil's death and the validity of the accusations. [Rh/Eth/VS]
Suggested Reading: