ACB seeks prosecution sanction against 5 HPCA officials

Himachal Vigilance and anti- corruption bureau has finalised a chargesheet in criminal cases against Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee and sought prosecution sanction against five officials.
Sources in Vigilance Bureau said that 18 persons including former chief minister P K Dhumal, HPCA president and MP Anurag Thakur, and other office bearers of the Association have been named in the chargesheet but no sanction is required for prosecution of retired officers.
The prosecution of some IAS officers would be given by the Union Government while sanction for prosecution of Dhumal and his son would be sought from State Assembly and Lok Sabha respectively, sources added.

The Vigilance Bureau had registered a case various sections of the IPC against HPCA on August 1 last year and investigated various allegations of irregularities in grant of land lease, violation of terms of lease, converting the HPCA, registered as a Society under Societies Act into a company and running commercial activities.
Additional Chief secretary Deepak Shanan, former Kangra Deputy Commission R C Gupta, Ajay Sharma, IAS and some other officers figure in the chargesheet, sources said.
The HPCA has filed an appeal for quashing the FIR and the case is pending in the High Court which has fixed next hearing on April 7 next.