CID investigates samosa mix-up at Himachal India

A seemingly minor mix-up involving samosas and cakes has escalated into a full-scale controversy in Himachal Pradesh India, with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) launching an inquiry into how snacks meant for Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu were mistakenly served to his security staff.

According to a report, the mix-up occurred due to a lack of coordination among the staff involved. An officer of the Inspector General rank had instructed a sub-inspector to arrange refreshments for the CM’s visit. The sub-inspector, in turn, delegated the task to an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and a head constable, who went to collect the snacks.

The ASI and head constable returned with three sealed boxes and handed them over to the duty officer from the tourism department, who, when asked if the items were for the Chief Minister, confirmed they were not on the official menu. As a result, the snacks were handed over to the CID’s mechanical transport (MT) section, which handles refreshments.

However, only the sub-inspector knew that the snacks were meant for the CM, and the staff responsible for serving the food were unaware of the intended recipient. The CID has initiated a formal investigation to determine the cause of the error and to identify which officers and staff members were responsible.

The incident quickly sparked controversy, with CID officials describing it as an "anti-government" act. Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur questioned the anti-government claims, pointing out that it was government staff who had received the snacks.

Chief Minister Sukhu downplayed the issue, calling it “childish” and clarifying that the CID investigation was focused on misbehaviour, not the samosas. He also mocked the media’s focus on the snacks, stating that he doesn’t even eat samosas for health reasons.

Opposition leaders, including former BJP chief Satpal Satti, criticised the Congress government for making a "laughing stock" out of the incident and wasting time on such a trivial matter instead of addressing more significant issues.

What started as a simple error in snack distribution has turned into a political storm in Himachal Pradesh, with both the government and opposition using it to score points.