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Week after HC order, Himachal govt shifts DGP Sanjay Kundu
Posts Sanjay Kundu as principal secretary in Ayush department, top court to hear former DGP’s plea today
A week after the Himachal Pradesh high court directed the state government to shift director general of police (DGP) Sanjay Kundu and Kangra superintendent of police Shalini Agnihotri on the basis of a complaint by a Palampur businessman, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday appointed Kundu as principal secretary in the Ayush department, relieving IAS officer Amandeep Garg of the additional charge.
Kundu has moved the Supreme Court against the high court orders. 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 on Wednesday.
On December 26, the Himachal Pradesh high court had directed the state government to shift the state police chief and the Kangra SP so that they do not influence the probe in a complaint by the Palampur businessman, Nishant Sharma, about extortion and threat to his life.
In its order, the court had also 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 the material presented in the case.
In his complaint on October 28, Sharma alleged threat to life, his family, and property.
He had also questioned the role of Kundu, who had allegedly made calls to him, asking him to come to Shimla.
The court had observed that the SP, Kangra, showed little progress in the investigation after having deliberately delayed the registration of FIR till November 16, despite having received a complaint on October 28 through an email from the complainant.
On November 16, an FIR was registered against two unknown people by the Kangra police in compliance with the directions of the high court.
The FIR was registered for wrongful restraint, intentionally causing hurt, criminal intimidation, and criminal acts done by several persons with common intention under Sections 341, 504, 506, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code against two people as alleged in the complaint, Kangra police said.
On November 10, taking suo moto cognizance of the businessman’s complaint, the Himachal Pradesh high court issued a notice to the SPs of Shimla and Kangra to file a status report in the court regarding the complaint.
