SHIMLA – A special CBI court has convicted and sentenced Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zahur Haider Zaidi and seven other policemen to life imprisonment in connection with the 2017 custodial death case of 29-year-old Suraj Singh.

CBI Public Prosecutor Amit Jindal argued for exemplary punishment, emphasizing the gravity of the crime.

After considering the arguments, CBI Special Judge Alka Malik sentenced the eight police personnel to life imprisonment.

On January 18, the accused were found guilty under Sections 302, 330, 348, 218, 195, 196, 201, and 120B of the IPC in connection with the custodial death of suspect Suraj Singh. However, the court acquitted former Shimla SP DW Negi.

The incident occurred on July 18, 2017, when Suraj Singh, an accused in the alleged gang rape and murder of a minor girl in Kotkhai, Shimla district, died in police custody. The CBI investigation revealed that Suraj Singh was tortured and murdered by police personnel.

The court convicted Zaidi, who was the then Inspector General of Police, along with seven other policemen, including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Manoj Joshi, Sub-Inspector Rajinder Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector Deep Chand Sharma, Head Constables Mohan Lal, Surat Singh, and Rafee Mohammad, and Constable Ranjit Sateta.

CBI public prosecutor Amit Jindal stated that the court sentenced the eight convicts to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on them. The accused were convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including murder, voluntarily causing hurt to extort confession, and wrongful confinement to extract confession.

Shimla-The State Cabinet, in its recent meeting held at Dharamshala in Kangra district, made several key decisions across various sectors.

Cannabis Cultivation Study:

The Cabinet approved a pilot study on cannabis cultivation, which will be jointly conducted by Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Krishi Vishvavidyalaya in Kangra and Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture in Solan. The study aims to evaluate the potential of cannabis cultivation and recommend future actions. The Agriculture Department will serve as the nodal agency for this initiative.

Disaster Relief for Tandi Village:

The Cabinet extended the special relief package for disaster-affected families to those impacted by the fire in Tandi Village, Kullu. Under the package, families with fully damaged houses will receive Rs. 7 lakh, those with partially damaged houses will receive Rs. 1 lakh, and families who lost cowsheds will receive Rs. 50,000. Additionally, monthly rental assistance of Rs. 5,000 will be provided to affected families until June 30, 2025.

Robotic Surgery Equipment Procurement:

The Cabinet approved Rs. 56 crore for the procurement of state-of-the-art machinery and equipment for robotic surgery at AIMSS Chamiyana in Shimla and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Tanda, Kangra. The approval follows a model similar to AIIMS New Delhi, aimed at enhancing medical facilities.

Forest Department Order Amendment:

The Cabinet amended the Forest Department’s previous order to allow the extraction of berberis roots (Kashmal) until February 15, 2025. Furthermore, it permitted the transportation of forest produce extracted from open spaces prior to January 4, 2025, until February 15, 2025, in line with the HP Forest Produce Transit (Land Routes) Rules, 2013.

Ropeway Project and Transportation Improvements:

The Cabinet approved the establishment of a ropeway between Kullu Bus Stand and Peej Paragliding Point. Additionally, it sanctioned the procurement of 24 air-conditioned super luxury buses for the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) to improve passenger services.

Rural Development and Infrastructure Reorganization:

Nine posts of Block Development Officers will be filled in the Department of Rural Development. The Cabinet also approved the reorganization of the PWD National Highway Circle in Shahpur, creating two new divisions, Nankhadi and Kholighat, and the Kharahan Section.

State Taxes and Excise Enforcement:

To enhance enforcement, the Cabinet approved the allocation of 100 motorbikes to field offices of the State Taxes and Excise Department for surprise checks and improved monitoring.

State Cadre Posts:

The Cabinet decided to bring the posts of Drivers, all Class-III and Class-IV posts in District Collector (DC) offices, and staff members in the offices of the three Divisional Commissioners, Director of Land Records, Revenue Training Institute (Jogindernagar), Directorate of Consolidation of Holdings (Shimla), and the Settlement Offices in Kangra and Shimla under the State Cadre. This move aims to standardize governance and improve administrative efficiency.

Educational Institutions Renamed:

The Cabinet approved the renaming of several educational institutions. Government College Seema in Shimla will now be known as Raja Virbhadra Singh Government College Seema. GGSSS Sports Hostel (Girls) Jubbal will be renamed Sh. Ram Lal Thakur GGSSS Sports Hostel (Girls), Jubbal, and Government College Khad in Una will be renamed Mohan Lal Dutt Government College Khad.

Kangra-Dharamshala’s first 750-kilowatt solar power project, built for Rs. 4.74 crore, was inaugurated on Friday.  Spanning 8,500 square meters of land, this project will generate approximately 2,000 units of electricity daily, yielding a monthly income of Rs. 2.80 lakh.

Starting in October 2023, the project’s construction work was completed in November 2024.

According to the government, the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) has signed an agreement to purchase electricity generated from this project. The government claimed that the project features 1,364 solar panels equipped with comprehensive safety measures, including lightning and fire protection, and an earthing and bonding system to ensure electrical safety.

The government said seven solar power projects with a combined capacity of 72 megawatts would soon be allocated. Surveys and studies are underway for eight projects with a total capacity of 325 megawatts. For the first time, the government was moving towards developing 200 panchayats as “Green Panchayats” by installing 200-kilowatt ground-mounted solar plants, the government claimed.

As per the government, the 32-megawatt Pekhubela solar energy project in the Una district was dedicated to the public on April 15, 2024. From April to October 2024, the project generated 34.19 million units of electricity in six and a half months, earning Rs. 10.16 crore. Additionally, the 5-megawatt solar energy project in Bhanjal (Una) was commissioned on November 30, 2024, while the construction of the 10-megawatt Aghlaur solar energy project is expected to be completed shortly.

The government said it aims to make Himachal Pradesh India’s first ‘Green Energy State’ by 2026.