TNR Desk
Amid the political crisis facing the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu regime has replaced the head of the state’s intelligence agency CID.
Late Thursday (February 29, 2024) night, orders were issued appointing Atul Verma, a 1991 batch IPS officer who recently returned from central deputation, as the Director General of CID.
Satwant Atwal, who previously held the additional charge of Director General of Police (DGP) for a brief period, has been relieved of CID duties and reassigned as ADG, Vigilance.
Speculations abound that a longstanding conspiracy aimed at destabilising the state government was underway. This suspicion gained traction during the budget session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly when six Congress MLAs unexpectedly crossed party lines. Disqualified from the Vidhan Sabha on Thursday, the six rebels cross-voted in favour of BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan, leading to the defeat of Congress nominee and top lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
CRPF and Haryana Police personnel swiftly provided security cover to the dissenting MLAs, escorting them to Panchkula, catching the state government off guard. “These events suggest meticulous planning and coordination aimed at undermining the government,” said an official.
Chief Minister Sukhu acknowledged the intelligence system’s failure, affirming the need for a thorough review. “The abrupt political manoeuvres underscore the challenges faced by the state government in safeguarding its stability amidst covert machinations. It is believed that a conspiracy was going on for a long time to topple the government in the state,” said an official.
No tip-off on BJP’s bid to ‘topple’ govt, Himachal Chief Minister Sukhu shunts out police intelligence chief Satwant Atwal
