The Uttar Pradesh government has initiated a fresh inquiry into the clean chit earlier granted to Circle Officer (CO) Sambhal, Anuj Chaudhary, following serious allegations of professional misconduct and service rule violations.
The action comes in response to a formal complaint filed by retired IPS officer and Azad Adhikar Sena national president, Mr. Amitabh Thakur. He has been directed to submit relevant evidence and supporting statements by May 5 for further investigation.
Mr. Thakur has accused Mr. Chaudhary of repeatedly breaching service and uniform protocols, making unauthorised public remarks, engaging in policing activities with alleged communal undertones, and operating outside established departmental guidelines. He also alleged that the officer’s actions contributed to a climate of fear and insecurity among certain communities.
An earlier probe, conducted by the Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sambhal, had found no substantial evidence to support these allegations. The report noted that major events including Juma-tul-Vida, Holi, and Eid had occurred peacefully in the region. As a result, the initial complaint was dismissed.
However, Mr. Thakur subsequently wrote to the Director General of Police, challenging the fairness of the earlier inquiry. He argued that, in violation of Chief Secretary directives, his own statement as the complainant was never recorded—while statements from CO Chaudhary and other parties were duly noted. He termed this omission a serious procedural lapse.
In response to the state government’s new directive, ASP Shreesh Chandra has now asked Mr. Thakur to submit any and all documentation related to the complaint. While initially given a three-day window, the deadline has been formally extended to May 5. Mr. Chandra affirmed that all submitted evidence will be carefully reviewed and included in the ongoing investigation.
