Shimla: An FIR has been registered against former Shimla Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sanjeev Gandhi over alleged financial irregularities in the use of government funds earmarked for the repair and maintenance of police buildings and residential quarters. The case follows an audit committee report constituted by the Himachal Pradesh Police Headquarters, which flagged alleged irregularities in expenditure, including ₹14.07 lakh shown as having been spent on the officer’s official residence at Southwood.
According to the audit findings cited in the complaint, around ₹1.28 crore allocated for the repair and maintenance of police buildings and government accommodation during 2022-23 to 2024-25 came under scrutiny. The report stated that no separate budget had been sanctioned by the government or police headquarters for repairs to the Southwood residence, while records of prior approval from the competent authority and other required sanctions were not available.
The FIR, registered at Shimla police station on October 22, 2026, is numbered 139/2026 and invokes Section 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The allegations are under investigation, and the audit findings do not by themselves establish guilt.
The audit reportedly found that ₹2.80 lakh sanctioned for repairs to the Sub-Divisional Police Officer’s (SDPO) residence in Rampur was instead shown as having been spent on the former SSP’s residence in Shimla. Another ₹2.50 lakh earmarked for repairs to the police barrier booth at Shoghi was also reportedly diverted to the residence. The audit noted that the records did not establish that the repair work at Shoghi had been completed, despite the amount being recovered in February 2023 on the stated basis that the work had been finished.
The report further recorded expenditure of ₹1.62 lakh in 2023-24 and ₹7.22 lakh in 2024-25 on the Southwood residence, without the required prior approvals and documents showing recommendations by the district-level committee.
The audit also examined works proposed under a ₹28.67-lakh budget for 2025-26. Of the 50 proposed works, records showed that 22 had been undertaken, including 13 that were reportedly outside the original approved proposal. The committee raised objections to expenditure on works that differed from those sanctioned.
The findings have raised questions over the utilisation of funds intended to provide basic facilities and maintain accommodation for police personnel. The report also highlighted the condition of the Shoghi police post, which continues to operate from a container, according to the information provided.
The investigation will examine the expenditure records, the approvals obtained, if any, and the actual use of the funds. Further details are expected to emerge as the case proceeds.
