Former Shimla Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi has been booked in a case of alleged misappropriation of Rs 2.35 lakh in government funds. The FIR also accuses him of dishonestly receiving money, devising and using forged documents, and defrauding a police constable posted at Police Lines, Kaithu. The alleged acts took place during his tenure as SSP in 2024 and 2025.
When contacted, Gandhi said he has no information regarding the FIR.
What the Constable Alleges in His Complaint
The case rests on a complaint filed by the constable. According to the complaint, he was assigned the responsibility of completing government works and arrangements during this period. He was asked to use his personal funds for these tasks and was assured that the money would be returned to him.
The constable said that in compliance with the directions, he arranged Rs 1,87,890 from his personal account and submitted the relevant bills to the office. The complaint alleges that the money was never returned to him.
Charges in the FIR Against the Former Shimla SSP
The FIR against Gandhi covers several allegations tied to the same complaint:
- Misappropriation of Rs 2.35 lakh in government funds
- Dishonestly receiving money
- Devising and using forged documents
- Defrauding a police constable posted at Police Lines, Kaithu
The complaint describes a pattern in which a junior officer was told to spend his own money on official work and then left waiting for repayment. The constable says he followed the orders in good faith and submitted the bills as required, but the promised reimbursement did not come.
Our Take: A Serious Test for Police Accountability
In our view, this case matters for two reasons. First, the amount involved — Rs 2.35 lakh in government funds and nearly Rs 1.88 lakh from a constable's personal account — is not small for a junior police employee. If the allegations are proven, a constable was made to fund official work out of his own pocket and then left unpaid. That is a serious abuse of power.
Second, the accused is a former head of the district police force. Senior officers hold positions of trust, and when that trust is questioned, the investigation must be fair and visible. Gandhi has said he has no information about the FIR, which is his right to state. But the case now needs to move forward on evidence, not on rank.
To put it plainly, readers should watch how this investigation proceeds. A constable risking his own savings on a senior officer's word, and then needing an FIR to get answers, tells us something about how power works inside the police system. The outcome of this case will show whether accountability applies to everyone in uniform — or only to those at the bottom.