Former Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu has been granted significant legal relief in Himachal Pradesh. The state High Court has officially quashed a complaint filed against him, which had alleged that the former DGP intimidated a hotel businessman. The division bench, comprising Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin Chandra Negi, has ordered the termination of all ongoing proceedings related to this specific matter.
Background of the Case
The controversy began on October 28, 2023, when a hotel owner from Palampur, Nishant Sharma, submitted an email and a formal application to the then-Chief Justice. In his complaint, Nishant Sharma accused the then-DGP Sanjay Kundu of threatening him and abusing his official position. Treating these allegations with extreme gravity, the High Court took suo motu cognizance on November 10, 2023, and demanded a detailed status report from the state, as the complaint involved a senior-most police officer allegedly intimidating a citizen.
Findings of the SIT Investigation
The investigation conducted by the SIT revealed a completely different reality. The probe findings established that the accusations leveled by Nishant Sharma against senior police officers were entirely fabricated. The court observed that the complainant’s true motive was to misuse the judicial process, divert attention from legitimate inquiries, and gain an advantage in a personal business dispute.
The Underlying Business Conflict
The court discovered that Nishant Sharma was involved in a long-standing dispute with his business partner, Keshav Dutt Sridhar, over the misappropriation of company funds. Although Nishant Sharma had claimed that he and his family were attacked in Mcleodganj, Dharamshala, the investigation concluded that this was a ruse. The court noted that the false complaint was filed primarily to project himself as a victim and to distract authorities from his own legal troubles.
While closing the case, the High Court granted Sanjay Kundu the liberty to legally challenge the FIRs filed by Nishant Sharma. Furthermore, the court directed both parties to present their cases in the appropriate lower courts, specifically the CJM Kangra and ACJM Shimla, for the resolution of their remaining legal matters.
