Munish Sood
Mandi
The Himachal Pradesh Police has placed Inspector Vijay Kumar, the in-charge of its acclaimed police orchestra “Harmony of the Pines”, under suspension pending a departmental inquiry into allegations that he monetised his social media presence without obtaining the requisite official permission.
The disciplinary action has been initiated on the directions of the Police Headquarters. Acting Director General of Police Ashok has ordered a departmental inquiry, which has been assigned to DSP Kamal Kishore of Police Lines Bharari. The inquiry officer has been asked to submit a report within three months.
According to sources, the proceedings relate to alleged earnings of around ₹6,000 per month through Facebook monetisation. The inquiry will examine whether the officer violated government service conduct rules by generating income through social media and undertaking private music-related activities without prior approval from the competent authority.
Before initiating the disciplinary proceedings, the Police Headquarters had issued a show-cause notice seeking Vijay Kumar’s explanation on whether he had obtained permission to produce, publish and promote private musical content while serving in the police department.
Inspector Vijay Kumar has earned national recognition for leading the Harmony of the Pines orchestra, one of the country’s best-known police musical ensembles. The orchestra, established in 1996 to promote stress management and morale among police personnel, has represented Himachal Pradesh at numerous national events and gained widespread public recognition through television appearances.
Under Vijay Kumar’s leadership, the ensemble reached the finals of the television reality show Hunarbaaz and secured a place in the World Book of Records. He also maintains a significant social media presence, with nearly 59,000 followers on his personal Facebook account, while the official Himachal Pradesh Police Orchestra page has around 89,000 followers. A devotional music video featuring him as both singer and performer was released recently.
Officials familiar with the matter said the inquiry would focus on whether the alleged monetisation and related promotional activities were undertaken in conformity with service regulations. Under the conduct rules applicable to government employees, prior approval is generally required before engaging in outside commercial activities or accepting remuneration from sources other than government service.
The case has also renewed attention on the Himachal Pradesh Police’s social media policy. In December 2025, the then Director General of Police issued comprehensive guidelines prohibiting police personnel from creating reels or promotional videos while in uniform, citing the need to preserve the dignity of the uniform, institutional discipline and the confidentiality of official information.
The departmental inquiry will determine whether Inspector Vijay Kumar’s activities amounted to a violation of service conduct rules. No official findings have been recorded against the officer at this stage, and the proceedings remain under investigation.
