Today, the Himachal Pradesh High Court rejected the request made by Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjay Kundu and Kangra SP Shalini Agnihotri to reconsider the previous order that directed the state government to relocate them. This decision came in response to a complaint lodged by a businessman from Kangra.

Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao, leading a division bench, issued the directive. The court further mandated the government to establish a special investigation team (SIT) led by an officer holding the rank of Inspector General or higher within the next week to investigate the case.

Additionally, the court instructed for adequate protection to be granted to Nishant Sharma, the complainant in the case, and his family. This safeguard was deemed necessary as Sharma had expressed concerns about potential threats to their lives.

Following the High Court's directive on December 26, 2023, to relocate the DGP and the Kangra SP for an impartial investigation, the state government reassigned Kundu to the role of Secretary, Ayurveda. Meanwhile, Satwant Atwal, ADGP (Vigilance and CID), was entrusted with the responsibilities of Acting DGP.

As of now, Kangra SP Agnihotri remains in her position, unchanged. In response to the December 26 order, Kundu had appealed to the Supreme Court, seeking to challenge the directive. Consequently, the apex court temporarily halted the execution of the high court's transfer order pending the hearing of Kundu's plea. During the proceedings, the court concurred with the arguments put forth by the Advocate General and the amicus curiae, asserting that the case did not fall within the category warranting investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).