Vimal Negi was humiliated and threatened by senior HPPCL officials: ACS report

Himachal govt reassigns all portfolios held by ACS Sharma; DGP, SP slapped show-cause notices

- Shailee Dogra

SHIMLA: Himachal director general of police (DGP) Atul Verma, additional chief secretary (ACS) Onkar Chand Sharma and Shimla superintendent of police (SP) Sanjeev Gandhi on Tuesday proceeded on leave after being directed by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

The development comes amid a slugfest in the state police triggered by the probe into the death of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) chief engineer-cum-general manager Vimal Negi.

Cracking whip after a three-hour meeting on Tuesday, Sukhu asked all three officials to "proceed on leave" over "indiscipline". DGP Verma is set to retire on May 31.

The government also revoked all portfolios held by ACS Sharma.

Confirming the development, Sukhu's principal media adviser Naresh Chauhan said, "All three officers have been asked to proceed on leave. Show-cause notices have been issued to the DGP and the SP for indiscipline, and all charges held by the ACS have been reassigned for now."

In the meeting, the chief minister expressed "strong displeasure" on the ongoing feud between the DGP and the Shimla SP. The ACS came under fire for "bypassing" the advocate general's (AG) office while filing a status report in the Himachal Pradesh high court.

On May 24, SP Gandhi publicly hit out at the DGP, ACS Sharma and the chief secretary at a press conference. The development had come as a major embarrassment for the state government.

A day later, the DGP recommended that the Shimla SP be suspended.