Shimla, September 26: The Himachal Pradesh State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has booked three retired engineers of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) and two company directors in connection with alleged financial irregularities causing losses of around ₹11.84 crore to the board.
The accused include Er Rajesh Thakur, former chief engineer (Operations); Er Anup Dhiman, former superintending engineer (Operations); Er Y R Sharma, former chief engineer (Commercial); and directors of Gilvert Ispat Pvt Ltd, Abhin Moudgil and Umesh Moudgil. An FIR was registered against them on Wednesday at the ACB police station in Shimla under Sections 420 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code, along with relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The action follows a complaint lodged by HPSEBL chairman Sanjay Gupta in March 2025, which alleged irregular reconnections of electricity to Gilvert Ispat Pvt Ltd. The complaint noted that the connections were restored twice on the same day—October 6, 2012—without the payment of pending dues and “in haste,” bypassing mandatory approvals from the board’s finance and accounting wing.
Investigations have revealed that the industrial unit defaulted on electricity payments totaling ₹11.84 crore. Rather than enforcing recovery, the retired engineers allegedly collaborated with the company to restore power supply and permit a deferred payment plan. “The cheques issued by the company later bounced, leaving the dues unrecovered and the board facing a significant financial setback,” Gupta noted in his complaint.
Officials said the case underscores the need for strict adherence to approval protocols and accountability within HPSEBL. “Such actions not only breach procedural norms but also cause direct financial loss to the state exchequer,” an ACB officer said.
The bureau has confirmed that further investigations are ongoing to ascertain the full extent of collusion and any additional parties involved.
