Shimla, April 1 -- Himachal Pradesh chief secretary Sanjay Gupta on Tuesday dismissed allegations of land irregularities as "misleading and sensational," claiming they are part of an orchestrated conspiracy by a rival lobby of officers to tarnish his reputation. Addressing the media in Shimla, Gupta, a 1988-batch IAS officer, who was given the additional charge of CS in October last year, termed accusations regarding land purchases and procedural violations "completely baseless," intended to cause him personal and professional harm. "These allegations have been deliberately sensationalised. This appears to be a conspiracy by a specific lobby of officers," Gupta said. Refuting claims related to about three acres of land purchase in Kharar, he clarified that the purchases were made in July 2025 after obtaining mandatory government permission. "There is no violation. The land was bought at 25-30% above the collector rate through legitimate financial sources, including institutional loans," he said. While talking on allegations of suppressing investigations into Chester Hill project that involves 275 bighas of land and the issue of violation of Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, the chief secretary noted that the Solan deputy commissioner is examining the matter in a quasi-judicial capacity. "The DC is the competent authority. Due process is being followed under the Tenancy and Land Reforms Act," he said. Allegations include the violation of laws, including provisions under Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act while providing 275 bighas of land for the construction of Chester Hills housing project in Solan. Solan SDM had conducted inquiry saying that the person on whose name the land is does not have means to purchase the same while hinting at "benami" deals. The CS is being accused of stalling action on the report even when SDM had recommended investigation by ED or IT department. On the complaint filed in police station in Chota Shimla seeking FIR against him, Gupta rejected allegations under the Prevention of Corruption Act, asserting that the cited provisions were obsolete. "Section 13(1)(d) is no longer part of the Act. The legal understanding of those making such claims is questionable," he said. In a rare public naming of colleagues, Gupta alleged that certain officers, including former chief secretaries RD Dhiman 1988-batch IAS officer and Prabodh Saxena (1990-batch IAS), are part of a lobby attempting to damage his image. He hinted at ongoing legal proceedings against some individuals involving central agencies. Gupta claimed he has sought a special investigation team (SIT) probe into certain administrative matters and confirmed that FIRs have been filed regarding irregularities in the power sector. Addressing the political fallout, Gupta alleged that misinformation is being fed to the BJP leadership to influence his service extension. "I have spoken to chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who has assured me that the matter is being examined. I have also informed the leader of Opposition (Jai Ram Thakur) that the limit for tolerating lies has been reached," he said. However, the CM maintained a cautious distance, stating the matter was not yet fully in his knowledge. "I will call for all relevant documents and comment only after examining the facts. It is not appropriate to speak on such a sensitive issue without complete information," Sukhu said. The opposition was quick to strike. Jai Ram targeted the CM's silence, accusing the government of stalling. "Despite serious allegations and police complaints, the government is avoiding a clear stand. The CM cannot distance himself from these facts," Thakur said. He said while BJP MLA Satpal Singh Satti had raised the issue in the assembly, the government remained evasive. Reacting to Gupta's attack on former chief secretaries, Thakur added: "It is inappropriate for an officer to claim political links or attack predecessors. The chief secretary should have limited his remarks to the allegations against himself." Meanwhile talking to HT, former chief secretary and present chairperson of Himachal Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), RD Dhiman, said, "Gupta, nurses grudge against me and is making baseless allegations to defame me. He is only recking up cases that are more than 12 years old to save his skin." Former chief secretary, who is at present chairman of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board, Prabodh Saxena, said, "The issue of ODI (officer of doubtful integrity) has been settled by the high court twice. Even the issue of my extension has been settled by HC. The allegations being made by Gupta are mainly to deflect the issue of the allegations against him."...