Week after he challaned truck of HP MLA’s wife, cop shifted
IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS, THE OFFICER AND HIS TEAM HAD CHALLANED 170-ODD VEHICLES DEPLOYED IN ILLEGAL MINING AND COLLECTED `25-LAKH FINE
SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh government transferred Gaurav Singh, Baddi additional superintendent of police (ASP) on Saturday, a few days after he challaned a truck belonging to Doon legislator Ram Kumar’s wife for allegedly carrying material extracted from illegal mining.
Singh, 2013 batch IPS, has been shifted as ASP Kangra in ‘public interest’. The Congress legislator from Doon, Ram Kumar, has given request regarding shifting of the said officer. He also met chief minister Virbhadra Singh in person.
On August 2, Gaurav stopped a tipper owned by MLA’s wife and challaned it for carrying mining material since driver failed to produce m-form (necessary in case of transporting mining material). A challan of `40,000 was imposed.
It was not the first action against those involved in illegal mining, in the past 6 months, Gaurav and his team had challaned about 170 vehicles involved in illegal mining and collected fine of `25 lakh.
The Doon legislator sent a few requests regarding Kumar’s transfer, alleging that he was targeting him. The order issued by the government said that Gaurav was transferred to Kangra in ‘public interest’.
This issue has given opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fodder to corner the ruling Congress.
The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) staged a protest in Baddi in protest of Gaurav’s transfer. Not only political party, but other social groups have also opposed his transfer orders. Sources said there was pressure on the police department to transfer the officer.
It has not happened for the first time. Recently, Nurpur deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Mahender Singh was transferred to second battalion Sakoh. He was transferred to Nurpur, a year back and cracked down on drug mafia.
Nurpur is Punjab bordering district and high court has also pointed out drug abuse issue in same area. During his tenure, he filed around 100 cases under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
He also arrested 125 people under the NDPS Act and also filed 400 cases against those involved in illegal mining. Sources said local Congress legislator Ajay Mahajan wanted DSP’s transfer. However, Mahender got his transfer orders stayed from administrative tribunal.
In May this year, another DSP at Chintpurni Sagar Chand was transferred after he raided house of close confidante of local Congress legislator Rakesh Kalia and seized kerosene in significant volume from his illegal possession.
Kalia, who reached on the spot, blamed the police of targeting him through his followers. The end result was that DSP got transferred; later his orders were also stayed by tribunal.