An FIR has been filed against Himachal Pradesh Minister Anirudh Singh for allegedly assaulting and verbally abusing an NHAI officer. NHAI has demanded an investigation and strict action in the matter.
Himachal Pradesh: Serious allegations have been leveled against Anirudh Singh, the Panchayati Raj Minister of Himachal Pradesh. A senior officer of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has filed a complaint against him alleging misbehavior and physical assault. Based on this complaint, the police have registered an FIR and initiated an investigation into the matter.
The Incident and the Entire Matter
The incident took place on June 30th in the Bhuttakufer area of Shimla district, where NHAI officers had arrived to inspect the site after a five-story building collapsed. During this time, Minister Anirudh Singh also arrived at the scene and allegedly got into an argument with officer Achal Jindal. According to the complaint, this argument later escalated into a physical assault.
Key Points of the NHAI Officer's Complaint
In the complaint filed with the police, Achal Jindal, the NHAI Manager, stated that the minister used abusive language against him and then summoned him and one of his associates to a room where he assaulted them. According to the complaint, the minister hit him on the head with a flower pot. After the incident, both injured officers went to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) Shimla for treatment.
Charges in the FIR
An FIR has been registered under sections 132, 121(1), 352, 126(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the entire matter. The police have started investigating the case and are recording statements from the concerned officials.
NHAI Chairman Writes to the Chief Minister
Considering the seriousness of the incident, NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav has written a letter to the Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh, Prabodh Saxena, demanding an investigation into the incident and action against the perpetrators. The letter mentions that the assault took place during the inspection of the Shimla bypass project on June 30th. He wrote that NHAI officers sustained serious injuries and had to be hospitalized.
State Government's Reaction
When Himachal Pradesh Minister Vikramaditya Singh was asked for a reaction on this issue, he said that he had received a letter from the office of Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, mentioning the incident. He said that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has been informed about the matter and further action will be taken at the CM's level.
