Himachal police summon former Haryana CM Khattar’s ex-adviser, Uttarakhand BJP leader in ‘conspiracy’ to topple Sukhu govt
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In a dramatic turn of events, the Shimla police have summoned Tarun Bhandari, the former campaign adviser to Haryana ex-Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, and a prominent BJP leader from Uttarakhand to record their statements regarding an alleged conspiracy to topple the Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government. However, none of them appeared before the authorities by the 1 pm deadline.
The summons were also issued to two former legislators from Himachal Pradesh: Independent MLA from Hamirpur Ashish Sharma and former Congress MLA Chaitanya Sharma from Gagret. They too failed to present themselves at the police station by the specified time.
The case, which has seen significant media attention, originates from an FIR lodged on March 10 at the Boileauganj police station. The complaint was filed by Himachal Congress MLAs Sanjay Awasthy and Bhuvneshwar Gaur. Since then, the police have been actively investigating and collecting evidence.
Sources said that after the February 27 Rajya Sabha election to the lone seat from Himachal, which the ruling Congress lost, a pharmaceutical company allegedly covered the costs for the hotel stay, food and drinks of three independent MLAs and six rebel Congress MLAs in Chandigarh. Tarun Bhandari is purportedly involved in arranging these payments. Furthermore, similar arrangements were made for the MLAs to stay in Uttarakhand, implicating a BJP leader in the financial logistics.
The police remain tightlipped about the identity of this BJP leader, with no officials willing to comment on the record. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has consistently alleged since February 27 that a conspiracy to destabilise his government was underway, claiming that substantial monetary incentives were used. On Wednesday, he reiterated his intent to take stringent action against those involved in this alleged conspiracy.
Another focal point of the investigation is Rakesh Sharma, a retired IAS officer and the father of former Congress MLA from Gagret Chaitanya Sharma. A former Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand, he stands accused of arranging the accommodation and transportation of rebel MLAs, allegedly facilitating their stays in luxurious hotels and arranging helicopter rides.
In response to the allegations, Ashish and Rakesh Sharma have approached the Himachal Pradesh High Court, seeking to dismiss the case against them. The complaint further details that Rakesh played a significant role in the alleged conspiracy.
Following the controversial Rajya Sabha elections, the MLAs who cross-voted reportedly stayed in Chandigarh, Uttarakhand and Gurugram for nearly a month, with their movements coordinated via helicopter. The investigation continues as the Himachal Pradesh government grapples with these serious allegations, striving to uncover the full extent of the purported conspiracy.
