New Delhi: A case of death by negligence and negligent conduct with respect to fire was registered on Friday in connection with the death of retired IAS officer Dhanendra Kumar, the founding chairperson of the Competition Commission of India, from a suspected air-conditioner (AC) blast-triggered fire at his Hauz Khas residence late Wednesday night, a police officer said. Police said the incident occurred around 11 pm on Wednesday at a house in Hauz Khas Enclave, and at 11.18 pm, the Hauz Khas police station received the fire alert. (HT Archive)“We have registered a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s sections 106 (causing death by negligence) and 287 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter). Nobody has been named as a suspect or accused in the first information report (FIR). Probe is focusing on the exact cause of the AC blast and the fire,” said deputy commissioner of police (south) Anant Mittal. Police said the incident occurred around 11 pm on Wednesday at a house in Hauz Khas Enclave, and at 11.18 pm, the Hauz Khas police station received the fire alert.A police team and two fire tenders were rushed to the site, and the blaze was brought under control with the help of neighbours, the DCP said.At the time of the incident, Kumar, 79, his wife, Manju, his son, Gourav, 49, and two domestic helps were inside the house. Kumar was found unconscious inside a washroom, apparently due to heavy smoke inhalation. “No burn injuries were found on his body,” an officer said. His son also complained of smoke inhalation.Kumar and Gourav were rushed to AIIMS trauma centre, and he died during treatment around 7 am on Thursday, while his son remains under medical supervision and is stated to be out of danger.According to police, the preliminary inquiry suggests the fire started after a blast in the indoor unit of an AC in Gourav’s room. “We would also be asking concerned officials of the AC manufacturing company to join the probe to determine the exact fault that led to the blast. We will also be questioning the AC mechanic or engineer who last serviced the device,” said a police officer, who did not wish to be named. Kumar’s daughter, Ruchira, who works with the World Bank in the United States, is expected to reach Delhi on Friday. The postmortem and last rites will be conducted after her arrival, police said.Kumar, a Haryana cadre official of the 1968 batch, served as principal secretary to the chief minister between 1991 and 1996 and was also the chairperson and managing director of the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation.Internationally, he served as executive director at the World Bank from 2005 to 2009, representing India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan.