Home Dehradun CM sacks PRO over alleged viral letter
CM sacks PRO over alleged viral letter
DEHRADUN, 11 Dec: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is learnt to have late last evening sacked his PRO Nandan Singh Bist over a letter sent on his letterhead addressed to the SP Bageshwar, asking to cancel the penalty levied on three vehicles. The letter that had gone viral in past two days, had led to embarrassment for the Chief Minister's Office. However, the PRO concerned claimed that though the viral letter had been written using his letterhead, he had not written or signed the letter. He further claimed that he would get the case investigated as to how his letterhead was misused. On the other hand, SP Bageshwar and the ARTO Bageshwar have claimed that the penalty had already been levied on the vehicles allegedly mentioned in the letter and further claimed that they had not received any such letter though they had heard of the letter as it had gone viral. It may be recalled that a letter from the Chief Minister's Public Relations Officer (PRO) to the SP and ARTO asking for cancellation of challans of three vehicles had gone viral on social media. It is mentioned in the letter that the Chief Minister had given oral orders for this. These vehicles laden with chalk were challaned by the Bageshwar police on 29 November. The Opposition had turned this letter into a big issue to attack the Chief Minister and his office. As a result, late last night, Nandan Bisht, posted in the CM office, was sacked by the CM. The letter allegedly written by CM's Public Relations Officer Nandan Singh Bisht to the SP and ARTO of Bageshwar on 8 December, mentioned the registration numbers of three vehicles, and asked the officers to cancel the penalty levied on them. The letter further claimed that the CM had given oral orders in this regard. The letter mentions that on 29November, the Bageshwar traffic police had challaned vehicle numbers UK 02 CA 1238, UK 02 CA 0238 and UK 04 CA 5907. These challans must be cancelled as per the CM's oral orders, further claims the letter. Vehicle numbers UK 02 CA 1238 and UK 02 CA 0238 are registered in the name of Manoj Kumar Sah. Vehicle number UK 04 CA 5907 is registered in the name of Harish Kumar Sah. Manoj Kumar Sah is associated with BJYM. Of course, it is not clear whether this letter had actually been sent or not or just made viral on social media since the officers (namely Ait Srivastava, SP Bageshwar and the ARTO Bageshwar) to whom the letter is addressed claim that they had never received any such letter. Chief Minister's Public Relations Officer Nandan Singh Bisht claims that someone had issued the letter from his office. The letterhead is his but his signature is not on the letter. Instead of signatures his name is mentioned. He further states that he is undergoing a neurological treatment. He further claimed that he would get it inquired how this happened. A fine of about Rs 45,000 has been collected from all the three vehicles.
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