Noted criminal lawyer says no prima facie case of abetment to suicide in DGP death

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, July 29, 2026

Noted advocate Sankar Lodh on Tuesday said the facts available so far in the death of Tripura Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Dhankar do not prima facie satisfy the legal requirements for invoking charges of abetment to suicide.

Addressing reporters, Lodh said abetment to suicide requires clear evidence of instigation and the existence of criminal intent (mens rea), which, according to him, has not emerged in the case at this stage.

He said the police have registered an unnatural death (UD) case and are continuing their investigation, while no FIR alleging abetment to suicide has been filed. Lodh pointed out that the deceased officer's family has also not lodged any complaint, adding that a zero FIR could have been filed from any part of the country under the new criminal laws if they suspected foul play.

The advocate said the probe, initially handled by a sub-inspector, has since been strengthened with senior officers and a 10-member investigation team. He maintained that the findings of the ongoing inquiry should be awaited before drawing conclusions, noting that an FIR could still be registered if evidence of murder or abetment emerges.

Referring to two recent suicide-related cases in Tripura, Lodh said the High Court had observed that the essential ingredients of abetment to suicide were not established while granting relief to the accused.

On the Opposition's demand for a judicial inquiry, he said such a request was legitimate but argued that the police should be allowed to complete their investigation first. He added that any shortcomings in the investigation could be challenged after the final report is submitted before the competent court.

Dhankar was found hanging in the washroom of his official chamber on July 20, and the case remains under investigation.

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