Himachal High Court hears corruption allegations against IAS officer posted in Bilaspur
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Matter relates to tender for tourism project in Gobind Sagar Lake
Shimla: The High Court of Himachal Pradesh heard the case involving allegations of corruption against a senior IAS officer stationed in Bilaspur. The case, titled M/s MG Sky Adventures Vs. State of HP & Others (CWP No. 11269 of 2024), was brought forward by Gaurav Garg, an entrepreneur involved in the tender process for a multi-crore tourism project in the Gobind Sagar Lake region.
During the hearing that took place in the court of Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua, Advocate Kul Bhushan Khajuria represented the petitioner, while Advocate General Anup Rattan, along with
Additional Advocates General YPS Dhaulta, Amandeep Sharma and Dalip K Sharma, appeared for the state. The court issued notices to respondents No. 6 to 8, setting the next hearing date for October 28, 2024. The petitioner has also been granted the liberty to serve these respondents through ‘dasti’ (personal service) within two days.
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Related application disposed of
The court disposed of a related application (CMP No. 18662 of 2024), directing the petitioner to file English translations of relevant documents before the next hearing.
The case centres on allegations that the IAS officer accepted money in the name of the Chief Minister and became an undisclosed partner in the aforementioned tourism project, which focuses on adventure water sports and allied activities. Garg has accused the officer of using the Chief Minister’s name to facilitate corrupt dealings within the tender process initiated in March 2024.
At a media briefing in Shimla, Garg claimed that the IAS officer pressured him to form a joint venture with two individuals purportedly close to the Chief Minister. “All the paperwork was done in his office and a notarised agreement was drawn up without my signature,” Garg stated, alleging that the officer is now pressuring him to either quit the venture or remain silent regarding the corruption.
Claims of regulatory violations and threats
Garg further alleged that the officer oversaw illegal activities, including continuing sales of water sports equipment during a regulatory ban from July 15 to September 15. He also mentioned that a contract for LED display installations worth Rs 5 lakh per month was secured without his consent. Garg claimed he faced threats when he objected to these practices and alleged that his workforce was forcibly removed from the area with police backing.
In addition to these claims, Garg accused the IAS officer of accepting cash bribes under the guise of election funding for ruling politicians. He stated he had evidence of the officer’s activities, including accepting cash and enjoying luxury accommodations during a family trip to Haryana.
Garg has expressed fear for his life and has lodged complaints with both the Chief Minister’s office and the CBI regarding threats he had received. However, he reported that no action has been taken thus far.
