30 October,2014 08:05 AM IST | | Chaitraly Deshmukh
The police have also roped in the CID's assistance in order to analyse the handwriting in the suicide note left behind by Ajay Chordia
Chordia was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival
Further investigation in the suicide case of Pune-based hotelier, Ajay Chordia, has thrown up two more names who allegedly drove the prominent businessman to commit suicide on Monday. Meanwhile, the Pune police have also sought help from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to analyse the handwriting in the suicide note left by Chordia.
Chordia was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival
Chordia (48), group chairman of Panchshil Hotels, was found hanging near the fire extinguisher in the smoking zone on the 11th floor of the Chinchwad-based hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton. At present, the Pimpri police have registered a case of accidental death, and the investigation is being headed by Additional Commissioner of Police (North region) Prakash Mutyal.
The suicide note was found in Chordia's trouser pocket, and in it, he had blamed a Mumbai-based IAS officer for harassing him and forcing him to take the extreme step. Sources had said that the IAS officer was formerly associated with the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), and had gathered some information about Chordia's business dealings and used it to blackmail him.
"Our investigation has also revealed names of two other persons who allegedly helped the IAS officer in abetting Chordia's suicide. We are scrutinising the call records from the deceased's mobile handset and office landline.
Chordia was in contact with his business friend on Monday noon, and had informed him that he intended to end his life. The businessman's friends told the police that he had seemed disturbed for the past two weeks, but that they were counselling him, and had assured all help," said a police officer on condition of anonymity.
Hotelier and businessman Ajay Chordia was found hanging on the 11th floor of the hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton, one of the properties managed by his business group
The police are also attempting to analyse Chordia's handwriting to see whether it was him who actually wrote the suicide note, or whether it had been planted on him. "We have sought the help of the CID's handwriting analysis wing so that we can find some strong lead from the handwriting specimen analysis.
We have approached Chordia's bank and we are gathering some legal and other official documents that have his handwriting on it, to compare it with the handwriting in the suicide note. We want to verify whether the suicide note was written by Chordia himself, or whether someone else wrote it and kept it in his pocket," the officer told mid-day.
ACP Mutyal said, "We are investigating the case and want to record the statement of Chordia's family members and relatives, but the family is in a state of shock and they need some time. The statements are needed so we can proceed and find the reason behind the suicide. We have already recorded statements from the hotel staffers and the manager to find some clue."
