Former Delhi Chief Secretary dies by suicide

Former Delhi chief secretary Rakesh Mehta, who served during former chief minister Sheila Dixit's tenure, allegedly died by suicide at his Noida residence, officials said on Tuesday.Noida police recovered a purported suicide note from the residence of Mehta, a 1975-batch former IAS officer, in which he cited his mental and health issues as reasons for taking the extreme step.

His body was found hanging from a ceiling fan at his Sector 82 residence on September 6, police said.Mehta, 74, served as Delhi's chief secretary for more than three years under Dixit. The 2010 Commonwealth Games in the national capital were held during his tenure.He was credited with overseeing the execution of several key transport, power and civic infrastructure projects in Delhi.

Mehta held various positions in the Delhi government and also served as commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), according to former colleagues.He became chief secretary in 2007 and retired in November 2010.Mehta was cremated at the Lodhi Road crematorium on Monday.According to Noida police, Mehta had been living alone for around five years in a rented flat at Kendriya Vihar-2 society in Sector 82.

His wife, a retired IAS officer of the Delhi cadre, and their son live in Dehradun, while their married daughter is based in London. His wife and son would occasionally visit him in Noida, an official said.Police said Mehta's wife spoke to him over the phone on Saturday night. After family members failed to reach him despite repeated calls on Sunday afternoon, they informed the society's security guards.

Two guards then went to the flat and found him hanging from the ceiling fan.Noida police, along with a relative living nearby, reached the spot soon after. A forensic team was called to collect evidence, while the body was sent for postmortem examination. The family has not lodged a complaint and police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.The one-page purported suicide note recovered from the flat did not blame anyone and stated that Mehta was distressed by illness.According to an official, family members said Mehta had been suffering from hypertension, diabetes and other health issues, besides experiencing trembling in his right hand and leg.Mehta studied at St Stephen's College, Jawaharlal Nehru University and the London School of Economics, where he pursued economics and related disciplines.(With PTI inputs)