Shimla, May 26 -- Day after Shimla superintendent of police Sanjeev Gandhi levelled allegations of misconduct against him and his staff, Himachal director general of police Atul Verma on Sunday recommended immediate suspension of the SP to the Himachal Pradesh government, officials said. In a letter to the additional chief secretary (home), the DGP said Gandhi had made "unsubstantiated and inappropriate allegations against senior government functionaries and constitutional authorities", and he should be suspended "pending the outcome of a departmental inquiry and the CBI investigation" into the death of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) chief engineer-cum-general manager Vimal Negi. "The SP made unsubstantiated and inappropriate allegations against the senior government functionaries and constitutional authorities in the state and also made unverified and potentially prejudicial statements regarding the National Security Guards in connection with a matter that is currently under investigation", the letter said. The DGP cited instances of "misconduct and insubordination" by the SP. Similar letters, along with a video of the SP's media interaction on Saturday in which he made the allegations, were also sent to the chief secretary and private secretary to the chief minister, officials in the police headquarters said. There has been a violation of Rule 3(1) and Rule 7 of All India Service (AIS) Conduct Rules 1968 under which every member of the Service shall maintain absolute integrity and devotion to duty and do nothing which is unbecoming of a member of the Service and not indulge in criticism of Government and Section 87 (misconduct) of HP Police Act, 2007, it said. The SP "be placed under suspension with immediate effect and be directed to report to police headquarters pending the outcome of a detailed departmental inquiry and CBI Investigation in Vimal Negi death case," the letter added. SP Gandhi had on Saturday publicly hit out at the DGP, alleging that he filed a "misleading" status report questioning the special investigation team (SIT) probe in the Vimal Negi death case due to "ulterior motives and there were attempts at obstructing investigations" in several other cases. He also levelled allegations against former Himachal DGP Sanjay Kundu and the chief secretary. Gandhi, who headed the SIT probe into the death of Vimal Negi, had addressed the mediapersons a day after the Himachal Pradesh high court transferred the case to the CBI. In its Friday order, the high court transferred the case to the CBI, noting that the DGP had raised "grave concerns about the mode and manner in which the investigation is being carried out in his status report". Negi was reported missing on March 10 and his body was recovered on March 18. His wife Kiran Negi alleged Vimal Negi's seniors were harassing him for months. On April 9, she moved the Himachal high court, demanding a CBI probe. On Saturday, Gandhi had alleged that a "member of the personal staff of the DGP had links with Sanjay Bhuria gang" allegedly involved in the drug trade and that the "involvement of DGP's personal staff have been found in leaking of a confidential document report from the CID department." In a press release on Sunday, the DGP office slammed the Shimla SP for his remarks against the chief secretary, said officials. "It has come to notice that a junior officer of Himachal Pradesh Police has made an inappropriate reference to a constitutional authority. The office of the DGP regrets this unauthorised and improper mention," the statement said. The statement came in response to the SP's claims that he was pressurised by the chief secretary not to probe a case related to the Ramakrishna Mission. The SP had alleged, "Pressure was built on me in the Ramakrishna Mission case to no question Awami Tanmahimanand, the chief secretary called me in his office and told me not to investigate the case the way it was being investigated." At least seven people were injured in a clash between two Hindu groups in Shimla on November 17, 2024, and four FIRs were registered against over 25 people from both sides....