Reports suggest that the Circle Officer Chaudhry has both family and ideological ties to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – Anuj Chaudhry, the Circle Officer (CO) of Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district, has frequently found himself at the center of controversy due to his actions and statements. From his handling of the Sambhal violence to his recent warning to Muslims during Holi, his remarks have drawn criticism from opposition parties.
Chaudhry, who serves as the Deputy Superintendent of Police, recently stated that Muslims should remain indoors if they have issues with Holi celebrations. In response, Samajwadi Party (SP) spokesperson Sharvendra Bikram Singh accused him of acting like a “BJP agent.”
Now, reports suggest that Chaudhry has both family and ideological ties to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar.
Family Ties to BJP
According to Aaj Tak, Chaudhry’s family hails from Bahedi village in Muzaffarnagar district. His brother, Amit Chaudhry, holds the position of Deputy District President of the BJP in Muzaffarnagar and previously served as a block chief in Kukra. Amit’s wife is also actively involved in politics, serving as a block chief in Muzaffarnagar. Additionally, Amit is reportedly close to BJP leader and former Union Minister Sanjiv Balyan.
Further fueling speculation, a photograph from Chaudhry’s home has surfaced, showing portraits of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders hanging in a room. Journalist Puneet Kumar Singh shared the image on social media, highlighting the presence of portraits of RSS founder K.B. Hedgewar and former RSS chief M.S. Golwalkar.
“Look carefully at the pictures in Anuj Chaudhary’s house. First photo – Keshav Baliram Hedgewar (founder of RSS), Second photo – Madhav Sadashiv Rao Golwalkar (Second Sarsanghchalak of RSS). Is there still something I need to tell you?” Singh wrote on X.
https://twitter.com/puneetsinghlive/status/1900265876341104712
As these revelations gain traction, questions are being raised about Chaudhry’s impartiality in handling sensitive law enforcement matters in Uttar Pradesh.
Anuj Chaudhry did not enter the police service through the standard recruitment process. Instead, he was appointed as a police officer through the sports quota.
Before joining the force, Chaudhry was a wrestler who represented India at both national and international levels. Between 1997 and 2014, he was a national champion and secured two silver medals at the National Games (2002, 2010), along with two bronze medals at the Asian Championships. In recognition of his achievements, he received the Laxman Award in 2001 and the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2005.
Through the sports quota, he was inducted into the Uttar Pradesh Police and became a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the 2012 batch.
Chaudhry has been involved in several controversies, including a past altercation with Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan while serving in Rampur.
More recently, he faced criticism for his remarks following the killing of five Muslims during the Sambhal violence. The deaths occurred in November last year when police opened fire on protesters clashing with security forces during a survey of the Sambhal Jama Masjid.
Amid violence when questioned by reporters about the civilian casualties, Chaudhry responded with a controversial statement: “Ek padhe likhe aadmi ko, is tarah ke jaahil maar denge? Hum koi marne ke liye thode hi bharti hue hain police me” (An educated man will be killed by such uncivilized people? We didn’t join the police force to die like this).
https://twitter.com/WasimAkramTyagi/status/1861405842765160803
In January this year, An official investigation was initiated against Anuj Kumar Chaudhary for allegedly violating uniform regulations and the Code of Conduct when he had participated in a Hindu Yatra (procession) while in uniform..
The inquiry follows a formal complaint filed by Azad Adhikar Sena’s national president Amitabh Thakur who reported the matter to the director general of police (DGP).
