BANGALORE: One month after the death of Sqn Ldr (Retd) Baldev Singh (Baldy), director, Corporate Planning & Marketing, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), for the first time the police have come on record saying that they are willing for a deep probe, provided they receive a formal complaint. HAL too went on record, but said they find no reason why an an internal probe should be initiated by them.Dr T D Pawar, Superintendent of Police, Chikballapur, told Express Investigation Team (EIT) they are still open to the idea of an in-depth probe if a formal complaint is filed by “anyone”.When EIT asked who could qualify to become “anyone”, Dr Pawar said: “It could be any family member, relatives, friends, colleagues, former colleagues or even you (EIT). If anyone wants a probe, they must give us in writing why they want it. In this case, the symptoms are very clear.”Dr Pawar went on to add: “We did not suspect anything homicidal about the suicide. We will confirm it once the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report comes.”Terming the senior officer of HAL’s drastic step a “mystery”, Dr Pawar said the police can switch gears only if there is some indication prima facie.“Though it is an established suicide (prima facie), the factors behind the decision are a mystery. What prompted the suicide is not our purview now. There have been no reasons for us to think otherwise, as nobody has come forward wanting us to probe,” he said.His junior colleague and Investigating Officer Iyanna Reddy told Express Investigation Team that any Indian citizen can set the law in motion, if they wished so. “We are open. But, we are not suspecting anyone as of now,” Reddy said. Sources tell EIT that Section 306 of Indian Penal Code (Abetment to Suicide) will become active, if the police find valid leads pointing at individual(s), who could have driven Baldy to death.While the police is playing safe, sticking to the rule book, HAL says it finds no reasons even to initiate an internal probe. V M Chamola, Director (HR), HAL, told Express Investigation Team during a telephonic interview that HAL felt no probe was required.“It is not volunteered. There’s nothing official about the death,” he said. When asked whether HAL had any directions from MoD asking for a probe, he said: “No. The police have filed an FIR and they are looking into the case.”To a query whether HAL has a system to order a probe, if any of their employees committed suicide, he said: “No.” When asked whether HAL came under any kind of pressure from Baldy’s friends or colleagues demanding for a probe, he replied in the negative.He also denied that the morale of the work force was hit by Baldev Singh’s death.[email protected]
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