Plea To Drop Corruption Charges Against Himachal CM Moved Before Lokayukta

By: Ravinder Makhaik

Shimla: Controversial police officer BS Thind is in a fresh controversy as an application for dropping corruption charges against chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal was filed before the LokAyukta on Monday on behalf of the suspended official, sources privy to the developments disclosed.

“Such an application was indeed received, today,” said a source in the Lokayukta, on conditions of not being identified. “It was not moved in person but on behalf of BS Thind,” the source said.

In election time, the move has raised eyebrows. Thind, prior to being arrested in a criminal case by the Solan police earlier in the month, had filed 4 complaints before LokAyukta naming chief minister Dhumal, and three senior police officers, CBI Director – Ashwani Kumar, ADGP Vigilance and Enforcement – Daljit Minhas and IG Law and Order – SR Mardi alleging corruption matters against them.

Thind, when contacted, outrightly denied have moved any such application. “Since I filed 4 complaints with affidavits on 4th of April, I have moved no other application before the LokAyukta and am awaiting for a notice so that I can depose before it,” he said.

The controversial police officer was arrested 4th April from outside the district courts in a criminal case on a complaint filed by businessman Ashok Mittal alleging that money was demanded off him by the officer for getting his commercial property in Parwanoo vacated. Before Thind was put under suspension in the case, he was posted as ADGP Human Rights Commission.

Two days later, on being released on bail, the suspended police officer has hit back saying that he had filed complaints about corruption matters before the Lokayukta.

In the complaint Thind had annexed a list of properties allegedly owned by Dhumal and his family members at various places and sought an investigation by the independent body. He is reported to have cited a case whereby a private security agency was given the contract to man zonal hospitals without going in for open tendering or obtaining a cabinet approval for the purpose.

The complaints against fellow police officers hold allegations about abuse of position during the long periods when they were colleagues with Himachal police.