NOIDA / NEW DELHI — Former Delhi Chief Secretary and retired 1975-batch IAS officer Rakesh Mehta passed away by suicide at his residence in Noida. He was 74 years old.
According to local law enforcement, Mehta’s body was found hanging from a ceiling fan inside his flat at Kendriya Vihar-2 society in Noida’s Sector 82 on Sunday afternoon. Officials confirmed that a one-page suicide note was recovered from the premises. In the note, Mehta stated that he was taking the extreme step due to prolonged physical health issues and mental distress, explicitly clarifying that no one else was responsible for his decision.
Investigators revealed that Mehta had been living alone in the rented flat for nearly five years. His family members, including his wife—also a retired IAS officer—and their son reside in Dehradun, while his daughter lives in London.
The incident came to light after Mehta’s family was unable to reach him via phone calls on Sunday afternoon despite speaking to him late Saturday evening. Concerned by the lack of response, his family contacted security personnel at the residential society to check on his flat. Guards found the apartment locked from inside, and upon gaining entry, discovered Mehta unresponsive.
Noida Police and forensic teams arrived at the scene shortly after receiving an alert around 1:30 PM. Forensic experts gathered evidence, and the body was subsequently sent for a post-mortem examination before being handed over to the family for final rites. His cremation was performed at the Lodhi Road crematorium in New Delhi on Monday.
Police stated that family members reported Mehta had been dealing with multiple health complications, including hypertension, diabetes, and tremors in his hands and legs. No official criminal complaint has been lodged by the family, and preliminary findings indicate no foul play.
A Distinguished Career in Public Service
An alumnus of St. Stephen’s College, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and the London School of Economics, Rakesh Mehta had a distinguished career in the Indian Administrative Service.
He served as the Chief Secretary of Delhi from 2007 until his retirement in November 2010 during the tenure of late Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. During his leadership as the top bureaucrat in the national capital, Delhi successfully hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Mehta also held several crucial administrative posts throughout his career, including Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Colleagues remember him as a key architect behind foundational urban, power, and transport reforms across the national capital region, including property tax reforms and the transition from Blueline buses to modern low-floor public transport options.
