After high court order, Himachal police chief shifted

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh): A week after Himachal Pradesh High Court ordered the state government to shift the Director General of Police on the basis of a complaint by a Palampur businessman, Sanjay Kundu was on Tuesday posted as principal secretary in the Ayush department.

According to a notification issued by the government, Kundu has been shifted on the recommendations of the Civil Services Board in the public interest. He will relieve Amandeep Garg of his additional charge.

Himachal Pradesh High Court on December 26 directed the government to shift the state's police chief and the Kangra superintendent of police so that they could not influence a probe into a businessman's complaint about a threat to his life.

The state government is yet to take a decision on the appointment of a new police chief.

Kundu was recalled from central deputation by Jai Ram Thakur and appointed as principal secretary to the chief minister. He later took over as Director General of Police in June 2020.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear on Wednesday a plea by the senior IPS officer, challenging his removal.

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra on Tuesday took note of the submissions of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Kundu, and agreed to hear the plea.

Rohatgi said the police officer was not heard by the high court which, on December 26, directed the state government to shift him.

In its order, the high court said it was intervening due to 'exceptional circumstances' in the matter, 'more particularly when the respondent home secretary had chosen to turn a blind eye' to material presented in the case.

In his complaint filed on October 28, Palampur-based businessman Nishant Sharma alleged a threat to him, his family and property from his business partners.

He had also questioned the conduct of Kundu, alleging the officer made phone calls to him, and asked him to come to Shimla.

"Shift them to other posts where they would not have any opportunity to influence the investigation in the case," a division bench of Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua had said on December 26.

The high court also observed that the Kangra superintendent of police showed little progress in the investigation, after having deliberately delayed the registration of an FIR.

Earlier, a case of defamation was registered against Sharma on the complaint of Kundu.

In his complaint, Kundu said that Sharma had on October 29 shot a letter to the police chief on his official email, with copies to other officials, in which he made false allegations with intentions to harm his reputation and tarnish his image.