The Himachal Pradesh Criminal Investigation Department has begun an investigation after samosas and cakes meant for Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu were instead served to his security staff, PTI reported on Thursday.
The department said that samosas and cakes being distributed to security staffers instead of the chief minister was an “anti-government” act.
The mix-up took place on October 21, when the chief minister had gone to the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters to inaugurate a cyber wing station, The Indian Express quoted unidentified officials as saying.
Five police personnel, including a woman inspector, were served show-cause notices in connection with the incident, according to the newspaper.
“The police personnel served the show cause notices are in the process of recording their final statements before a DSP [Deputy Superintendent of Police]-rank probe officer, who has recommended strict disciplinary action against the five,” an unidentified official told The Indian Express.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Vikram Chauhan, who was tasked with putting together an inquiry report on the incident, submitted it to the department on October 25.
As per the report, an inspector general-ranked officer instructed a sub-inspector to fetch three boxes of samosas and cakes from a nearby hotel for Sukhu’s visit to the headquarters, The Indian Express reported.
Subsequently, the sub-inspector asked an assistant sub-inspector and a head constable to bring the refreshments. “The ASI [assistant sub-inspector] and the head constable fetched the refreshments from the hotel in three sealed boxes and informed the SI [sub-inspector],” the report added.
In their statements, two of the five police personnel who were served notices said that when they asked the state tourism department staff whether the snacks were to be served to the chief minister, they were told those were not on his menu.
The two police officers told this to the sub-inspector, the report. The sub-inspector was the only one who was aware that the snacks were for the chief minister, it added.
Subsequently, the snacks were handed over to the woman inspector, the report said, according to PTI. Without consulting a senior officer, she sent the refreshments to the Mechanical Transport section, which was responsible for arranging them.
The refreshments were handed over to several officers in the process. One of the police officers told Chauhan that he was directed to serve the snacks to a few persons sitting in the office of an inspector general of police and the eatables were served to them.
After reports about the investigation came to light, the Bharatiya Janata Party accused the Congress government in the state of being more concerned about the chief minister’s meals than the problems of the public.
“It appears the government is not interested in any developmental work and is solely focused on food,” BJP leader Randhir Sharma said.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!