S Gopal Puri
Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued a notice to the state government seeking a response over the appointment of Assistant Drug Controller Nishant Sareen to a sensitive public-facing post in Kangra district despite serious corruption allegations and criminal cases pending against him.
The high court acted on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Raman Sharma, who alleged that Sareen was a tainted officer and should not have been appointed to a sensitive post. The PIL demands that Nishant Sareen be removed from his position due to his dubious service record and ongoing investigations.
A division bench comprising Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Ranjan Sharma passed the interim order after reviewing the contents of the petition. The high court has scheduled the next hearing for July 29.
According to the PIL, multiple FIRs are registered against Nishant Sareen in Solan (Himachal Pradesh) and Panchkula (Haryana) related to corruption during his earlier postings. Sareen was previously suspended on September 4, 2019, in connection with these charges.
The high court had rejected his anticipatory bail during his earlier suspension period. Later, the Punjab and Haryana High Court also dismissed his bail plea on January 17, 2023. The Supreme Court upheld these decisions on April 11, 2023, directing Sareen to surrender before the trial court within four weeks.
Despite these serious allegations and legal precedents, the Himachal Pradesh government appointed Sareen as Assistant Drug Controller in Kangra on September 19, 2024. The petitioner has termed this move irresponsible and against the principles of administrative integrity.
The petition also seeks the cancellation of the government’s appointment notification and urges the court to direct the government to either suspend or transfer Sareen from the sensitive posting until the legal proceedings against him are concluded.
This development raises serious questions about administrative accountability and whether politically influenced decisions are undermining governance in Himachal Pradesh’s health and drug control departments.
