31 March,2026 08:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Abhitash Singh
Amit Ghawate, zonal director, NCB
Why did it take 336 days to book officials named in a suicide note? This is the central question being raised by activists following the registration of an FIR against NCB officials and an Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) senior police inspector in the Gurunath Chincharkar suicide case. Chincharkar, a builder who allegedly ended his life on April 25, 2025, following a Rs 15-crore extortion demand, reportedly used a 9-mm pistol, a weapon typically restricted for service use.
Navi Mumbai-based activist Sanchu Menon has questioned the NRI Coastal Police's conduct, alleging, "If a common man is named in a suicide note, he is picked up within hours. Here, senior officials from the NCB and the police were named, yet the FIR took a year. This delay allowed for the potential tampering of evidence."
Gurunath Chincharkar, who died last year; Sanchu Menon, social activist. PIC/X/@MenonSanchu
Demanding an SIT probe, ballistic audit, and the release of call data records, he added, "If the [builder's] sons were allegedly part of a drug syndicate, why were the parents being summoned and allegedly harassed? This points to a clear motive of extortion."
A major point of contention in the follow-up investigation is the weapon used. Chincharkar allegedly shot himself with a 9-mm pistol. "Weapons of this calibre are prohibited bore and are generally not licensed to civilians unless there is an extraordinary threat perception," a retired police officer said.
>> How did a civilian obtain a 9-mm pistol, and is the licence for the same verified?
>> Why was a senior police inspector attached to the ANC allegedly involved in an NCB operation?
>> If the deceased's sons were the suspects [in a drug case], why were the bank accounts and passports of the parents allegedly seized?
Sandeep Nigde, the senior police inspector booked in the case, said, "The allegations are baseless. The complainant's sons are accused of operating an international narcotics network and were brought back to India via extradition from Malaysia. With their assets seized by the NCB, we believe these allegations are a calculated move by Dr Kiran Chincharkar to exert undue pressure on the investigating agencies."
NCB Zonal Director Amit Ghawate and Officer Akash Malik remained unavailable for direct comment, though sources within the agency termed the allegations "baseless and motivated by elements trying to derail drug investigations."
An official from the NRI police station said, "The delay was due to the verification of the suicide note and legal vetting of the allegations. We have now registered the FIR, and the probe is on."
April 25, 2025: Gurunath Chincharkar allegedly died by suicide, naming officials in note. Accusations surface immediately.
May-Dec 2025: Multiple representations were made by the deceased's wife, Dr Kiran Chincharkar, to the police chief and chief minister, but no FIR was registered
Jan-Feb 2026: Internal inquiries were reportedly conducted by the local police. The results remained non-public
March 27, 2026: An FIR was finally registered at the NRI Coastal police station
