New Delhi/Shimla: The Supreme Court Monday directed immediate transfer of Kullu deputy commissioner Anurag Chander Sharma, superintendent of police Madan Lal and sub-divisional magistrate Nishant Kumar by agreeing with Himachal Pradesh high court that had ordered their transfers along for failing to maintain public order by not preventing large-scale rave parties in Kasol from June 7-11.Sharma and Lal had challenged HC’s order before SC. For them, senior advocate Madhavi Divan said these were not ‘rave parties’ and that the officers should have been heard by HC before being transferred and it directing registration of FIR with an SIT probe. A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana agreed to stay further action on the FIRs and SIT probe, but said for an impartial departmental inquiry, these officers are required to be transferred out of Kullu. The apex court issued notice to the Himachal Pradesh govt and sought its response by Aug 10. Divan contested the transfers terming them as stigmatic. But the bench disagreed, saying the officers have no right to continue in the post at a particular place when there are allegations of permissions for the rave parties being given despite a deputy superintendent of police’s (DSP) contrary report. The case came to light during the high court’s vacation period after a media report highlighted that thousands of visitors had gathered in Kasol, popularly known as “Mini Israel”, for rave events at Green Forest-I and Green Forest-II. The parties were reportedly promoted widely, with ticket prices ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 16,000 per person, attracting visitors from several cities and abroad. A report submitted by Kullu District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), on the high court’s directions, said permission for the events had been granted by the SDM on June 6. During inspection, officials recovered drugs including cocaine and LSD, leading to FIRs against two tourists. A Russian DJ at the event, Daria Kuzminykh, was also suspected to have died due to a drug overdose. The DLSA report further mentioned the presence of liquor bottles, cigarette butts, rolling papers, temporary camps and facilities capable of accommodating nearly 4,000 to 5,000 people at the isolated forest venue. Following the high court’s intervention, the events were stopped and the permission granted for the parties was cancelled. MSID:: 132664156 413 |
