“It is against my self-respect to even react to such comments,” Sharma’s wife Maya said. “We are not asking them to come and sympathise with us but they should at least respect my husband’s sacrifice.”

While visiting Jamia Nagar on Saturday, the SP leader had raised doubts about police’s version of the encounter that left two alleged militants and Inspector Sharma dead. Sharma was leading the encounter on September 19.

On Monday, his father Narottam Sharma said he was saddened and enraged at the comments. He also said Singh’s cheque had errors in it: “The amount, in numerals, was Rs 1 lakh but was Rs 10 lakh when spelt out in words. They probably thought we would fill in the remaining zero and then they could portray us as corrupt and hungry for money.”

Calling Sharma a “martyr”, the slain inspector’s uncle R D Masiwal said: The entire country is praising our son right now (but) these politicians can’t let people live in peace. The intelligent people of this country should throw him out.”

Sharma’s mother said: “My son left his child ill at the hospital on government directive and dealt with a terror threat. Now these people are raising questions about the encounter. I have nothing to say about these people because they don’t know how to control their rhetoric.”

Responding to Amar Singh’s charge that the officer should not have led the encounter since he had already been transferred, Narottam Sharma said, “My son was not transferred from the Special Cell. He has no proof but is still saying such things in public.”

Maya Sharma said the announcement of Rs 30 lakh given to the family by Delhi Police has been over-hyped. “That money was the accumulation of his GPF, other benefits and ex-gratia amount given to every officer who dies in action. It was no special compensation.” She said she is now considering the job offer by Delhi Police. “I am still not in a state to decide whether to take it. We barely have the time to mourn our loss.”