HC Sees 'Administrative Surrender' in Kasol Rave Party Case, Orders Transfer of DC Kullu, SP and SDM, SIT Probe
Shimla, June 29: In one of its strongest indictments yet on the growing drug menace in Himachal Pradesh, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has held that senior district officials "failed in their duties" and appeared to have facilitated large-scale rave parties in Kasol despite prior intelligence warning of possible drug trafficking and unlawful activities.
It was a series of reports on himbumail.com that busted the return of raves in Parbati Valley.
Hearing a bunch of petitions related to drug abuse and illegal rave parties, the Division Bench headed by the Chief Justice described the case as a "classical case of abject surrender" by the Deputy Commissioner, Kullu, and the Superintendent of Police, Mandi, while questioning the role of the Kullu administration in allowing commercial rave events to flourish under the guise of tourism.
The court noted that despite a police report dated June 5, 2026 warning that consumption and trafficking of narcotic drugs at the Green Forest-I and Green Forest-II venues near Kasol could not be ruled out, the SDM granted sound permission the very next day.
The venue, located six kilometres inside a forest area, was capable of hosting 4,000 to 5,000 people, had camping facilities, private security and CCTV surveillance, while tickets reportedly ranged between ₹10,000 and ₹16,000 per participant.
The High Court observed that the parties would have continued from June 7 to June 11 had the Vacation Bench not intervened on June 9 after media reports highlighted the return of rave culture to Parvati Valley. It was only after judicial intervention that police reached the venue, cancelled permissions and registered two FIRs.
An inspection conducted by the Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, painted a disturbing picture. The team recovered large quantities of empty liquor bottles, rolling papers, cigarette butts and equipment commonly used to consume cannabis.
A refrigerator stocked for serving beer, temporary camping facilities and a massive DJ stage were also found. The inspection report further recorded that the organisers had only produced sound permission and no licence to serve liquor.
The court also took note of the seizure of cocaine and LSD from two tourists during the event and the suspected drug overdose death of a Russian DJ, Daria Kuzminykh, whose post-mortem report is awaited.
Rejecting the administration's defence that tourism is the backbone of Kullu's economy, the Bench said it was difficult to believe that commercial events of such magnitude could have been organised without the connivance of local authorities.
The judges remarked that the subsequent raids and enforcement action appeared to be merely a "knee-jerk reaction" triggered by court orders rather than proactive policing.
Holding the Deputy Commissioner, the Superintendent of Police and the concerned SDM accountable, the High Court directed the State Government to transfer all three officers within one week, register an FIR, constitute a Special Investigation Team headed by an IPS officer not below the rank of Deputy Inspector General, and initiate departmental proceedings against the officials.
The Bench also ordered that an IPS-rank Superintendent of Police be posted in Kullu to restore public confidence.
The matter has been listed for further compliance on August 6, 2026.
