Former Delhi chief secretary Rakesh Mehta, who served during Sheila Dikshit’s tenure as chief minister, allegedly died by suicide at his residence in Noida, officials said on Tuesday. He was 74.
Mehta, a 1975-batch IAS officer, was found hanging from a ceiling fan at his Sector 82 residence on September 6. Police recovered a purported one-page suicide note in which he cited “mental and health issues” but did not hold anyone responsible for his death.
Mehta served as Delhi’s chief secretary from 2007 until his retirement in November 2010. The Commonwealth Games were held in the national capital during his tenure. He was also credited with overseeing several key transport, power and civic infrastructure projects and had served as commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
According to Noida Police, Mehta had been living alone in a rented flat at Kendriya Vihar-2 in Sector 82 for around five years. His wife, also a retired Delhi-cadre IAS officer, and their son live in Dehradun, while their daughter is based in London.
Police said Mehta’s wife spoke to him over the phone on Saturday night. After family members were unable to contact him on Sunday afternoon despite repeated calls, they alerted the society’s security guards. Two guards then went to his flat and found him hanging.
Police and a relative living nearby reached the spot, following which a forensic team examined the scene and the body was sent for postmortem. The family has not lodged any complaint, and police are probing the circumstances surrounding his death.
Officials said Mehta had been suffering from hypertension, diabetes and other health problems, besides experiencing trembling in his right hand and leg.
He was cremated at the Lodhi Road crematorium on Monday.
Mehta studied economics and related disciplines at St Stephen’s College, Jawaharlal Nehru University and the London School of Economics.
(With inputs from PTI)
