Shimla, May 28 -- Himachal director general of police (DGP) Atul Verma, additional chief secretary (ACS) Onkar Chand Sharma and Shimla superintendent of police (SP) Sanjeev Gandhi on Tuesday proceeded on leave after being directed by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. The development comes amid a slugfest in the state police triggered by the probe into the death of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) chief engineer-cum-general manager Vimal Negi. Cracking whip after a three-hour meeting on Tuesday, Sukhu asked all three officials to "proceed on leave" over "indiscipline". DGP Verma is set to retire on May 31. The government also revoked all portfolios held by ACS Sharma. Confirming the development, Sukhu's principal media adviser Naresh Chauhan said, "All three officers have been asked to proceed on leave. Show-cause notices have been issued to the DGP and the SP for indiscipline, and all charges held by the ACS have been reassigned for now." In the meeting, the chief minister expressed "strong displeasure" on the ongoing feud between the DGP and the Shimla SP. The ACS came under fire for "bypassing" the advocate general's (AG) office while filing a status report in the Himachal Pradesh high court. On May 24, SP Gandhi publicly hit out at the DGP, ACS Sharma and the chief secretary at a press conference. The development had come as a major embarrassment for the state government. A day later, the DGP recommended that the Shimla SP be suspended. The Vimal Negi death case, which was transferred to the CBI on May 23, was a political hot button for the state. While the family and Opposition had been demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, the state had constituted a special investigation team (SIT) headed by the Shimla SP. However, over the last week, the DGP, in an affidavit to the HC, had raised apprehensions about the SIT probe even as the Shimla SP submitted a status report that the probe was proceeding in an "unbiased" manner. On May 23, the high court allowed the plea filed by the chief engineer's wife, Vimal Negi, and transferred the probe to the CBI. The Shimla SP's contentious presser followed. The state government on Tuesday reassigned the charges held by the three officials till the time they are on leave. Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Ashok Tiwari, presently the director general of state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau, has been given additional charge as the DGP and IPS officer Gaurav Singh, currently Solan SP, will take over the additional charge as the Shimla SP. ACS (forests) Kamlesh Kumar Pant has been given the charge of home, vigilance and revenue departments and will also be the chairperson of the state pollution control board. Technical education secretary Kadam Sandeep Vasant has been given charge of the jal shakti department and ayush department secretary Rakhil Kahlon will take charge of the tribal development department. "The action sends a strong message that indiscipline will not be tolerated, no matter how senior an official is," said Naresh Chauhan....