Dharamsala MLA files defamation plaint against Shimla SP

Senior BJP leader and MLA from Dharamsala Assembly constituency Sudhir Sharma has filed a criminal defamation complaint against Sanjeev Gandhi, the Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP) before the Chief Judicial Magistrate at Dharamsala on Friday.

The CJM has referred it to Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Varun Sharma who has fixed June 17 as the next date of hearing for consideration. The complaint is still at the pre-summoning stage.

The MLA has alleged that Sanjeev Gandhi made baseless and defamatory statements against him during a press conference held at Shimla on May 23, 2025.

According to the complaint, Gandhi, while serving as the SP in Shimla, publicly accused Sharma of orchestrating the defection of six Congress MLAs to the BJP in March 2024. The SP had reportedly claimed that Sharma bribed the legislators for his personal political gains and that the matter was under his investigation.

Sharma states, “The SP publicly alleged that Sharma, harbouring resentment against him, circulated live-stream footage of proceedings from the Himachal Pradesh High Court where the accused/respondent was reprimanded for improper investigation into the suicide of Bimal Negi, related to CWP Number 6508 of 2025 titled Ms. Kiran Negi vs. The State of HP & Others”.

Sharma alleged that the aforementioned allegations by the SP were wholly unfounded and defamatory, which lacked any evidence. The MLA claimed that the live streaming of HC proceedings was authorised by the court itself. He neither edited, tampered with, nor manipulated these recordings. He stated the statements of SP have significantly damaged his public reputation and standing as an elected legislator.

Himachal Tribune