Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 11 : A high-level departmental enquiry by the Himachal Pradesh Police has found that a traffic challan issued to a Dalit youth in Solan district was "false, fabricated and arbitrary", prompting directions for withdrawal of the proceedings and further investigation into the conduct of police officials.
The development comes alongside intervention by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), which has sought an action-taken report from the Deputy Commissioner, Solan, on allegations of police harassment and caste-based atrocities against the complainant.
The police enquiry, conducted by Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, IPS, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Traffic, Tourist and Railways), examined an incident of June 14, 2025, involving complainant Mohit Kumar, a resident of Kalhog village in Kandaghat.
Kumar was stopped near Kandaghat while driving vehicle HP12F-2733 and issued challan No. HP194147250614205036 for allegedly using a mobile phone while driving and for rash driving under Section 184 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
However, the enquiry found that available digital and forensic evidence did not support the allegations.
According to the report, dashcam footage covering the journey, along with Call Detail Records, showed no incoming or outgoing calls between 8:28 pm and 8:30 pm, and no conversation was recorded immediately before the vehicle was intercepted.
The enquiry also examined the vehicle's speed. It found that the car had travelled approximately 800 metres in one minute and 57 seconds, corresponding to an average speed of around 25-30 kmph. The report concluded that the speed could not be treated as rash or negligent, particularly in view of the prevailing traffic conditions.
The enquiry further found that an official vehicle, HP-14A-0033, attached to the then Superintendent of Police, Solan, Gaurav Singh, IPS, approached Kumar's vehicle from behind with its siren on and overtook it. Police personnel subsequently got down from the vehicle and stopped Kumar, after which ASI Jagat Singh of Kandaghat police station was called to issue the challan on oral instructions.
The report observed that the then SP, Solan, had prima facie exceeded the scope of his authority, describing the action as an "arbitrary, perverse and disproportionate exercise of authority" that was prejudicial to civil liberties.
Kumar had also alleged that he was subsequently subjected to caste-based harassment, malicious criminal proceedings and selective media disclosures. The enquiry took note of his allegations that information concerning the incident was allegedly leaked to local media with the intention of publicly humiliating him as a member of the Scheduled Caste community.
The report also referred to a Daily Diary entry made at Kandaghat police station in connection with the incident. The inspecting officer, Inspector Mukul Sharma, was subsequently suspended, according to the findings.
The DIG (TTR) has directed the Superintendent of Police, Solan, to withdraw and drop the challan proceedings and initiate an independent investigation into the alleged misconduct of officials. The enquiry has also raised the issue of possible dereliction of duty under Section 4 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
The matter has also reached the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Acting on Kumar's complaint, the NCSC at Chandigarh issued a notice on August 10, 2026, to the Deputy Commissioner, Solan.
Senior Investigator Praveen Chandra Diyundi has sought a detailed action-taken report within 15 days, including information on arrests made, chargesheets filed and compensation, if any, provided to the complainant under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Rules.
The Commission has warned that failure to submit the report within the stipulated period could lead to the exercise of its powers under Article 338 of the Constitution, including issuance of summons requiring personal appearance before the Commission.
The findings of the police enquiry and the NCSC intervention have put the conduct of the officials involved under renewed scrutiny, with further departmental and legal action now expected.