New Delhi: A 56-year-old Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, Shivraj Singh, allegedly committed suicide Sunday by ingesting acid. The body was found in his car in Delhi’s Dwarka locality. He is the second senior officer from the income tax department to end life in the last few weeks.
The Delhi Police confirmed Singh’s death, and a probe in the case is under way. A purported suicide note was found from the car.
Singh, who was posted as an additional commissioner of income tax in the Directorate of Income Tax, had been under “mental stress” for some time, and was planning to seek voluntary retirement from service, an IRS officer, who didn’t wish to be named, told ThePrint.
Singh had been promoted to the IRS early in his career.
A second IRS officer said Singh’s suicide note said he was ending his life due to apprehension of Covid-19, and the fear of infecting his family. However, the officer claimed that Singh had tested negative for Covid “a few days ago”.
“He was a calm and composed officer… Would often talk about meditation, and even gave a few lectures on it, so don’t know what happened,” said a third officer, requesting anonymity.
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The IRS troubles
This is the second case in the last few weeks of an IRS officer committing suicide.
Last month, Keshav Saxena, a 1988-batch IRS officer, committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling fan at his residence in Delhi’s Chanakyapuri.
Saxena was posted as principal commissioner in the I-T department. His body was found in his room by his wife, and a suicide note was recovered.
“Since this is the second case of suicide in just a few weeks. A lot of officers are thinking of starting online mental health sessions,” said a fourth IRS officer, pleading anonymity. “IRS officers haven’t ever committed suicide like this. Then why two in such a short span?”
The IRS cadre has also been in news over the last one year for government action against its officers. While several senior IRS officers have been compulsorily retired by the government on charges of corruption, the government also suspended three IRS officers in April this year for putting into public domain a contentious report advocating tax hike to give a boost to the Covid-stricken economy.
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There could be something more than meets the eye in the twin cases of suicide by the IRS officers.
Why suicide is not committed and when the crime is alleged?
‘Suicide’ under Section 309 IPC has been decriminalised in India in 2018. A private member’s Bill was moved by the BJD MP Jay Panda in 2016. Therefore, the use of the words ‘commit’ or ‘committed’ suicide is inappropriate application.
Also, the use of the word ‘allegedly’ is most suitable until the nature of the crime or death is conclusively established by a police investigation or a court verdict.
So, we should write and say that ‘X’ Allegedly Dies of Suicide and not ‘X’ Commits/Committed Suicide.