Shimla — Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh on Wednesday refuted allegations of assaulting a senior National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) official, calling the claims “baseless” and part of a larger conspiracy to avoid accountability after the collapse of a five-storey residential building in Shimla’s Chamyana area earlier this week.
Addressing a press conference, the minister claimed that the First Information Report (FIR) lodged against him is unfounded and politically motivated. He alleged that NHAI officials were attempting to divert attention from their role in the incident.
“There were around 150 people present when the alleged incident occurred. The FIR filed against me is without merit. In fact, the local people have also lodged a complaint against NHAI officials for misbehaving with them. This is an attempt to cover up the building collapse, which they feared would become a major controversy,” Singh said.
Singh questioned the hospitalisation of the NHAI official, asserting that the complainant had not suffered any serious injuries. “You can verify the hospital records and take statements from people who were present there,” he added, demanding a fair investigation into the matter.
The minister also launched a scathing attack on NHAI’s operations in Himachal Pradesh, alleging corruption and negligence. “There is a nexus of contractors, NHAI, and the Centre. NHAI officials are the most corrupt in the country and do not listen to anyone. They are answerable for the damages caused by their projects and the lives lost,” he said.
The Complaint
The accusations stem from an incident on June 30, when Achal Jindal, Manager (Technical), NHAI Shimla, filed a police complaint alleging that Minister Singh physically assaulted him during a site visit in the Mathu Colony area. Jindal claimed that the altercation escalated into violence when he tried to explain that the collapsed building did not fall under NHAI’s jurisdiction.
An FIR has been registered at Dhalli Police Station. Station House Officer (SHO) Virochan Negi confirmed that the complaint is being investigated.
National Reaction and Political Fallout
The incident has drawn sharp condemnation from the NHAI Engineers Association (NEA), which has demanded immediate action against the minister. The matter escalated further when Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, strongly condemned the alleged assault.
Describing the incident as “deeply reprehensible” and “an affront to the rule of law,” Gadkari posted on X, “The heinous assault on Shri Achal Jindal… is not only a brutal attack on a public servant performing his duties but also undermines institutional integrity.”
Gadkari said he had spoken to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and urged him to take “immediate and exemplary action” against those responsible.
