Sanjeev Gandhi back as SP Shimla after 20-day break

IPS officer Sanjeev Gandhi, who had proceeded on leave following allegations of indiscipline by officers in the handling of the Vimal Negi case, has rejoined as Superintendent of Police (SP) of Shimla.

Gandhi remained on medical leave for more than 20 days following state government asking DGP Atul Verma, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Onkar Sharma and Gandhi to proceed on leave. CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had made it clear that indiscipline among the bureaucracy would not be tolerated and had expressed displeasure on the behaviour of these three officers in handling the Vimal Negi case.

Sharma and Verma were accused of filing their affidavits in the inquiry into the death of Vimal Negi, Chief Engineer in the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation to the High Court without getting it vetted by the Advocate General.

Gandhi, on the other hand, had levelled serious allegations against Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, DGP Atul Verma, ACS Onkar Sharma, DC Shimla and others at a press conference in the state capital here. He had stated that he would make disclosures against a constitutional authority and many senior officers at an appropriate time. Gandhi had also levelled serious allegations against former Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu, with whom he did not see eye to eye.

SP Solan had been given additional charge of Shimla SP during the absence of Gandhi. ACS Sharma, who had undertaken the fact-finding inquiry into the death of Negi, was stripped of all important portfolios of Home, Vigilance, Revenue, Jal Shakti and Chairman of State Pollution Control Board. He joined last week and has been given only Tribal Affairs Department.