Week after busting sand mining gang, Hoshiarpur SSP Dhruman H Nimbale shifted

Jupinderjit Singh

Chandigarh, April 1

In the first reshuffle of 13 SSPs by the AAP government, IPS officer Dhruman H Nimbale has been posted out of Hoshiarpur within a week after he busted a gang of illegal sand miners and made one of the biggest cash seizures of Rs 1.53 crore.

CM Bhagwant Mann had promised tough action against illegal sand mining during the election campaign as well as after assuming charge.

The new Muktsar SSP, Nimbale, has seen 18 transfers in eight years (twice a year on an average). Before this, the last two transfers took place during the Congress government and coincided with action against illegal sand mining in Tarn Taran and Moga. He ordered more than 100 FIRs over illegal sand mining during his tenure as the SSP of Tarn Taran, Moga and Hoshiarpur.

During his five-month tenure in Tarn Taran, Nimbale started a drive against illegal mining as trucks quarried sand from Ferozepur to Tarn Taran.

They used government’s weighing slip, meant for one truck, to get passage for over 20 vehicles, causing a substantial loss to the government. His investigation team found out that the miners were not uploading the slip immediately, as mandatory, on the website of the Sand Mining Department. In some cases, a slip issued in April was used in July. Nimbale was shifted to Moga in mid-August.

In Moga, he spotted mining activity from riverbed, which was against the rules as no mining is allowed during monsoon (June 1 to August 31). Nimbale lodged 13 FIRs and seized machines worth Rs 4 crore. In October last year, less than two months into his tenure, he was transferred to Hoshiarpur.

Between March 25 and 27, after the change of government, Nimbale cracked down on illegal miners and employees of a sand mining firm who impersonated government officials.

While Nimbale declined to comment, DGP V K Bhawra could not be reached.

Ordered 100 FIRs in 3 districts

• As the SSP of Tarn Taran, Moga and Hoshiarpur, Dhruman H Nimbale ordered more than 100 FIRs linked to illegal sand mining
• A week ago, Nimbale had busted a gang of illegal miners and made a cash seizure of Rs1.53 crore, one of the biggest
• After AAP govt took charge, he cracked down on sand mining staff who impersonated govt officials and charged ‘illegal tax’ from truckers