Himachal Pradesh Government Transfers Kullu Officials Amid Rave Party Controversy

Kullu Officials Transferred Following Supreme Court Ruling

Munish Sood
Kullu

The government of Himachal Pradesh has made a significant move by transferring Kullu's Deputy Commissioner Anurag Chander Sharma and Superintendent of Police Madan Kaushal. This decision comes after the Supreme Court declined to stay the Himachal Pradesh High Court's order regarding their transfer, which was prompted by alleged administrative failures linked to a controversial rave party in Kasol that took place in June.

The state administration had appealed to the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the High Court's ruling that mandated the officers' transfer and initiated criminal proceedings against them. While the Supreme Court halted the High Court's directive for criminal cases, it did not intervene in the transfer orders, thus requiring the government to comply.

As per a notification from the Home Department, IPS officer Abhishek S. (2019 batch), previously serving as SP (Law and Order) at the Police Headquarters in Shimla and also overseeing SP, Cyber Crime (CID), has been appointed as the new Superintendent of Police for Kullu, effective immediately. Madan Kaushal has been instructed to report back to the Police Headquarters in Shimla. The additional responsibilities of the Kullu Deputy Commissioner will be temporarily handled by the district's SDM until a permanent appointment is made.

This situation stems from a week-long rave party allegedly held in Kasol from June 4 to June 11. The event drew judicial attention after videos surfaced on social media, allegedly depicting drug use, leading to a public interest litigation filed in the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

During the proceedings, the High Court noted prima facie evidence of extensive drug use at the event and scrutinized the actions of the district administration and police, highlighting their failure to act promptly and effectively. The police contended that they had only authorized the setup of a sound system, not a rave party.

In light of these findings, the High Court mandated the state government to transfer the Kullu Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police, and SDM within a week. It also called for criminal proceedings against the officers, a directive that has been temporarily stayed by the Supreme Court.

With the Supreme Court upholding the transfer orders, the Sukhu government has now replaced the top civil and police officials in Kullu, while the legal challenge regarding other aspects of the High Court's ruling remains ongoing.