Himachal DGP seeks suspension of Shimla SP for misconduct

Himachal Pradesh DGP Atul Verma on Sunday recommended immediate suspension of Shimla SP Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi for “gross misconduct, insubordination and dereliction of duty”.

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This comes a day after SP Gandhi held a press conference and accused DGP Verma’s staff of having links with drug peddlers.

In a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) as well as to the Chief Secretary and Private Secretary to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the DGP also said the Shimla SP should be directed to report to the police headquarters pending the outcome of a detailed departmental inquiry and the CBI investigation into the Vimal Negi death case.

In the letter, it has been mentioned that the SSP made inappropriate and baseless allegations against senior government functionaries, including the Chief Secretary, as well as a constitutional authority, which is tantamount to misconduct and insubordination.

"He also made unverified and potentially prejudicial statements regarding the National Security Guards in connection with a matter that is currently under active investigation. These actions have the potential to strain the relationship between the Centre and the state government," said the DGP.

The letter further mentioned that these actions of the SSP are in violation of Rule 3(1) and Rule 7 of the All India Service (AIS) Conduct Rules, 1968, under which every member of the service shall maintain absolute integrity and devotion to duty and do nothing which is unbecoming of a member of the service.

Furthermore, the officer’s conduct also falls under the category of misconduct as defined in Section 87 of the Himachal Pradesh Police Act, 2007. Any police officer who is guilty of any violation of duty or wilful neglect of any order made by a competent authority shall be liable to be awarded punishment as prescribed under the Act.

SP Gandhi on Saturday had claimed that the status report filed by the DGP in the Himachal Pradesh High Court regarding the SIT investigation into the Vimal Negi’s death case was irresponsible and a result of personal vendetta.

He had also accused the DGP’s staff of having links with Sanjay Bhuria gang, a drug peddling syndicate, and trying to interfere in the investigation into the leak of confidential documents of the CID. The SSP had also made serious allegations against former DGP Sanjay Kundu, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, former Shimla DC and Dharamshala MLA Sudhir Sharma.