Former Delhi chief secretary Rakesh Mehta dies by suicide: Officials

Former Delhi chief secretary Rakesh Mehta, who served under ex-chief minister Sheila Dixit, allegedly died by suicide at his residence in Noida, officials said on Tuesday.

Noida police recovered a purported suicide note in which Mehta, a 1975 batch former IAS officer, cited his “mental and health issues” as reasons behind the extreme step. His body was found hanging from a ceiling fan at his Sector 82 residence in Noida on September 6, they said.

Mehta, 74, was the chief secretary of Delhi for over three years during Dixit’s tenure. The Commonwealth Games in Delhi were organised in 2010 during his tenure.

Mehta was credited with the execution of some of the key transport, power and civic infrastructure projects in the city.

He served in the Delhi government in different capacities and was also the commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), his former colleagues said.

He took over as chief secretary in 2007 and retired in November 2010.

He was cremated at Lodhi Road crematorium on Monday.

Noida police said Mehta had been staying alone in the rented flat at Kendriya Vihar-2 society in Sector 82 for around five years. His wife, also a retired IAS officer of the Delhi cadre, and their son are based in Dehradun, while their married daughter lives in London. His wife and son used to visit him in Noida occasionally, an official said.

According to the police, Mehta’s wife spoke to him over the phone on Saturday night. When family members were unable to reach him despite repeated calls on Sunday afternoon, they alerted the society’s security guards. Two guards subsequently went to the flat and found him hanging from the ceiling fan.

Noida police and a relative residing nearby reached the spot soon after, following which a forensic team was called to collect evidence and the body was sent for postmortem examination. The family has not filed any complaint and the police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

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The one-page purported suicide note recovered from the flat did not hold anyone responsible and mentioned that Mehta was distressed by illness.

Family members said he had been suffering from hypertension, diabetes and other health problems, besides experiencing trembling in his right hand and leg, according to the official.

Mehta had studied at St Stephen’s College, Jawaharlal Nehru University and the London School of Economics, where he pursued economics and related disciplines.