A district court in Chandigarh has issued notices to the Chandigarh Police and the concerned Station House Officer (SHO) following two petitions filed by senior IAS officer Ms. Amneet P. Kumar (2001 batch), the wife of late IPS officer Mr. Y. Puran Kumar. She has sought the return of her husband’s two cellphones and a laptop that were seized during the investigation into his alleged death by suicide.
Mr. Puran Kumar, a 52-year-old 2001-batch IPS officer, was found dead with a gunshot wound at his residence in Sector 11, Chandigarh, on October 7. As part of the probe, investigators seized his mobile phones and later collected a laptop, which he allegedly used to type a “final note.”
IAS Officer Seeks Return of Personal and Financial Data Devices
Ms. Amneet Kumar’s plea argues that, as the legal heir of her late husband, she is entitled to custody of his personal devices. The phones, she stated, contain vital personal and financial data linked to the family’s bank accounts. Their absence has caused severe inconvenience, freezing access to essential financial operations due to the inability to complete OTP-based verifications.
She further contended that the police must have already extracted and cloned all necessary forensic data, making the continued seizure of the devices unnecessary. In her assurance to the court, Ms. Kumar stated that she would produce the devices whenever required by the authorities and would not tamper with or sell them.
In another application, she requested the release of her husband’s laptop, which was handed over to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on October 8. The device was sealed in the presence of CFSL experts for forensic examination. Ms. Kumar stated that it contained sensitive family and financial data unrelated to the investigation, urging the court to direct the police to return it. The court has now sought a response from the Chandigarh Police and scheduled the next hearing for November 4.
Businessman at the Heart of Bribery Allegations Lacks Liquor Licence
Meanwhile, a new layer has emerged in the case, linking the late IPS officer’s name to a bribery complaint in Haryana’s liquor trade. Documents show that Mr. Parveen Bansal, the complainant whose accusation led to a criminal case against EASI Mr. Sushil Kumar on October 6, does not possess any retail or wholesale liquor licence in Rohtak district.
Official records reveal that Mr. Bansal was a director in Discovery Beverages Pvt. Ltd. until 2021 but currently holds no active liquor licence in his individual capacity. His name does not appear among the 58 retail liquor zones comprising 116 vends allotted in Rohtak for the 2025–27 licensing period.
A Rohtak-based official, requesting anonymity, stated, “Mr. Parveen Bansal is likely a small-time partner in a larger liquor business network. He even admitted in a video that he is a small-time trader.” When asked about his licences, Mr. Bansal disconnected the call and later switched off his phone, declining to respond to messages.
Link Between Complaint and Late Officer Mr. Y. Puran Kumar
Mr. Bansal had alleged in his complaint that EASI Mr. Sushil Kumar, claiming proximity to then Rohtak Range IG Mr. Y. Puran Kumar, demanded a bribe of Rs. 2.50 lakh allegedly on Mr. Puran Kumar’s behalf. He further claimed that he was threatened — if he wished to continue his liquor business in Rohtak, he would have to pay monthly sums or face fabricated liquor smuggling cases.
According to the complaint, Mr. Bansal’s first interaction with Mr. Sushil Kumar took place in June 2025, followed by another meeting in July 2025 at his Rohtak office. He also claimed to have voice recordings and CCTV footage supporting his allegations. Mr. Bansal told police he had been provided security due to threats from gangsters.
When contacted, Mr. Kuldeep Bansal, a director in Discovery Alcobev Pvt. Ltd.—a company holding a wholesale country liquor licence in Rohtak—said he had no knowledge of Mr. Parveen Bansal. Mr. Pankaj Singla, associated with the Discovery Group, did not respond to calls or messages.
Bureaucratic and Developmental Context
The ongoing developments have raised questions not just about the circumstances surrounding Mr. Puran Kumar’s death, but also about the broader regulatory environment of Haryana’s liquor trade and the integrity of bureaucratic processes. Legal experts note that Ms. Amneet Kumar’s petitions reflect the growing challenge faced by officers’ families in balancing forensic transparency with privacy and data rights.
The court’s response and the outcome of the forensic custody dispute may set a precedent for how digital evidence is treated in sensitive administrative and criminal investigations. Furthermore, the revelations about unlicensed traders in the liquor network underline the need for stronger compliance and accountability mechanisms within the state’s excise framework.
Also Read: Haryana IPS Y. Puran Kumar Suicide Case: High Court Adjourns PIL Seeking CBI Probe
