North News
Shimla, November 8
Himachal Pradesh’s CID has launched an inquiry into an unusual incident involving refreshments intended for Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. During the chief minister’s visit to inaugurate a new cyber wing station at CID headquarters in Shimla, security personnel reportedly consumed samosas and cakes meant for Sukhu before they could be served to him.
The incident, which took place on October 21, involved three boxes of samosas prepared by the Radisson Blu Hotel as refreshments for the chief minister’s team. According to sources, the snacks were set aside to be served to Sukhu during his visit. However, before they could reach him, members of his security detail allegedly helped themselves to the refreshments.
Following the incident, five officers from Sukhu’s security team received show-cause notices and were summoned to record statements before a probe officer of DSP rank. The officer in charge of the investigation, DSP Vikram Chauhan, completed a report recommending disciplinary action against the involved personnel, submitting his findings to the Inspector General of CID on October 25. The CID is reportedly finalizing decisions regarding potential penalties.
Meanwhile, those close to Sukhu clarified that the chief minister, who recently recovered from an illness, has been avoiding spicy and oily foods like samosas. Despite this, the snack incident has drawn the attention of political opponents.
On the ‘samosa’ controversy, Sanjeev Ranjan Ojha, DG CID, stated, “This is entirely an internal matter of the CID and should not be politicized. The CM does not eat samosas. We have not issued any notices; we simply instructed to investigate what happened. The government is not involved in this matter. We will determine how this information was leaked.”
The opposition BJP seized the opportunity to criticize the Congress-led Himachal government, arguing that it is focusing on minor issues while neglecting more pressing concerns, including state-wide corruption and financial troubles. Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur accused the government of being more invested in the chief minister’s meals than in addressing the challenges facing the people of Himachal Pradesh.
