In a significant development, Sanjay Kundu has been reinstated as the Director General of Police (DGP) in Himachal Pradesh, overturning his earlier transfer to the Ayush department as principal secretary. This decision comes three weeks after the Himachal Pradesh High Court ordered his transfer, prompted by a case filed by businessman Nishant Sharma from Palampur.
The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, along with justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, issued a directive on January 12, setting aside the Himachal Pradesh High Court's order to remove Kundu as DGP. The high court's decision was based on allegations that Kundu attempted to pressure businessman Nishant Sharma, who claimed threats to his life.
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While reinstating Kundu, the Supreme Court emphasized that he would have no control over the investigation conducted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) regarding the allegations. The court's decision also dismissed Kundu's plea challenging the high court's earlier order and affirmed that he should not influence the ongoing investigation.
In the backdrop of the case, Nishant Sharma, the businessman who raised concerns about threats to himself and his family, had filed a complaint against Kundu. The DGP, in turn, had registered a defamation case against Sharma for tarnishing his reputation. The entire episode underscores the legal intricacies surrounding the high-profile case and the subsequent intervention by the Supreme Court to reinstate Sanjay Kundu as the Himachal Pradesh DGP.