Senior IPS officer Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi was transferred days after he sought an independent audit of the Rs 30 crore Himachal Pradesh Road Safety Fund, raising questions over the move and concerns about financial transparency.
Gandhi, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Traffic, Tourist and Railways), was shifted from his present posting and directed to report to the Department of Personnel until further orders on Monday by the state government.
The move assumes significance as it came after a series of communications in which Gandhi sought an audit by the Accountant General (AG), Himachal Pradesh, of the utilisation of Road Safety Fund money sanctioned during 2021-26.
Gandhi had invoked Rule 6(4) of the Himachal Pradesh Road Safety Fund and Activities Rules, 2022, which provides for external audit oversight. He pointed out that no such statutory external audit had been conducted since the rules came into force.
In his representations, Gandhi also flagged alleged deficiencies in the maintenance, verification and documentation of expenditure from the fund. These included alleged non-maintenance of the Cash Book in the prescribed manner, absence of physical verification reports and supporting documents relating to completed works, and compliance with the General Financial Rules, 2017, and Himachal Pradesh Financial Rules regarding expenditure sanctions, procurement procedures and allocation of funds.
Gandhi maintained that an internal departmental audit could not substitute the external audit mechanism contemplated under Rule 6(4) and sought clarification from the authorities on the implementation of the statutory provision.
However, the State Police Headquarters did not accept the demand for an AG audit at this stage. In a communication dated August 3, 2026, Acting DGP Ashok Tiwari reportedly termed the demand for an AG audit as "premature and misconceived". The PHQ instead stated that a comprehensive internal financial audit had already been ordered on July 31 under the supervision of Anil Kumar, Joint Controller, State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau. Gandhi was directed to cooperate with the departmental audit.
The subsequent transfer of Gandhi has added significance to the sequence of events, particularly as it followed his repeated representations seeking independent scrutiny of public funds. There is, however, no official order presently available establishing that the transfer was ordered in retaliation for his demand for an AG audit. Sources in the Police Department, however, have linked the developments.
Traffic Challan Report Adds Another Layer
Another issue in the background is a recent report submitted by Gandhi in connection with a traffic challan matter involving the Solan police. According to the report and documents related to the matter, Gandhi's findings reportedly differed from the position earlier taken when Gaurav Singh was serving as SP, Solan.
The report is stated to have found the earlier position incorrect on the facts of the case. Gaurav Singh, a 2013-batch IPS officer, was subsequently posted as SP, Shimla, after serving as SP, Solan, replacing Gandhi.
The matter has assumed further significance as the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has also taken cognisance of the complaint, according to documents and representations connected with the case. The traffic challan episode, Gandhi's findings and the subsequent action by the NCSC are separate issues and may require independent examination from the present dispute involving the Road Safety Fund.
Dispute Over Official Residence and Penal Rent
Gandhi has also been facing administrative action concerning the government residence earmarked for the Shimla SP. He continued to occupy the government residence after relinquishing charge as Shimla SP.
Gandhi has maintained that the house allotted to him required repairs and that he could not shift until it was restored to a liveable condition. A notice was subsequently issued seeking around Rs 1.80 lakh as penal rent and directing him to hand over the residence to incumbent SP Gaurav Singh.
Earlier reports had confirmed the penal-rent notice and the demand to vacate the residence. Gandhi has challenged the administrative action and questioned the authority of the Acting DGP to impose the penal rent.
He has referred to the Himachal Pradesh House Allotment Rules, 1994, and contended that the power to impose such financial liability rests with the designated Estate Officer under the applicable rules.
The accommodation issue has assumed significance as the residence is earmarked for the serving Shimla SP and its vacation would facilitate its occupation by the present incumbent, Gaurav Singh.
Sources said a government accommodation allotted to Gandhi in June could not be occupied because the previous occupant had allegedly overstayed. A subsequent accommodation allotted to him in July was reportedly in a severely dilapidated condition. Gandhi has maintained that the circumstances surrounding the accommodation should also be examined before any financial liability is imposed on him.
Gandhi has alleged that he was "personally targeted by the Acting DGP" and has submitted a detailed representation to the Chief Secretary, Himachal Pradesh, challenging the administrative actions. "I am sure the government will deal with my house allotment case on merit," Gandhi said.
Questions Over Administrative Conduct
The sequence of events -- Gandhi's demand for an independent audit of the Road Safety Fund, the PHQ's rejection of the AG audit request, the internal audit ordered instead, his subsequent transfer, the traffic challan report in which his findings reportedly contradicted the earlier position, NCSC cognisance of the related matter, and the continuing dispute over the official residence -- has brought the administrative conduct of the police headquarters under increased scrutiny.
The issues are particularly sensitive as the Road Safety Fund involves public money and the rules provide for an external audit mechanism. The immediate question is whether Gandhi's concerns regarding the Road Safety Fund will ultimately be subjected to an independent statutory audit or remain confined to the internal exercise ordered by the Police Headquarters.
A separate question is whether the various administrative measures involving Gandhi were taken independently of his representations or whether there was a connection between his demand for greater financial scrutiny and the subsequent actions against him.
What is established from the available documents is that Gandhi sought external scrutiny of the utilisation of public funds, while the PHQ chose an internal audit mechanism. His subsequent transfer has added to the questions surrounding the sequence of events.
The traffic challan matter and the NCSC's reported cognisance have added another layer to the controversy, while the dispute over the official SP residence has created an additional administrative point of friction between Gandhi and the police headquarters.
An independent examination of the Road Safety Fund, the traffic challan matter and the accommodation proceedings could establish whether the procedures followed by the authorities were consistent with the applicable rules and whether the administrative actions against Gandhi were justified on their stated grounds.
Acting DGP Ashok Tiwari was not available for comment when contacted regarding the audit dispute, Gandhi's allegation of personal targeting, the traffic challan matter, the NCSC proceedings and the accommodation issue. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)