An engineer with Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation went missing from Shimla on March 10. Eight days later, Vimal Negi's body was found under mysterious circumstances in a lake in Bilaspur district on March 18. His wife claimed that his seniors had harassed him. The mysterious death triggered a political storm in Himachal Pradesh, with the opposition BJP alleging a cover-up. It has also sparked a tussle within the Himachal Police.
Negi's family protested outside the HPPCL office in Shimla with his body, alleging negligence and cover-up. Later, police filed a case of abetment to suicide and joint criminal liability under BNS against HPPCL Director (Electrical) Deshraj and Managing Director Harikesh Meena.
The Congress government in the state had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the death, but the High Court on Friday ordered that the case be handed over to the CBI. The court cited the "grave concerns" raised by the Director General of Police in his status report about the "mode and manner" of the probe into Negi's death.
A single bench of the high court comprising Justice Ajay Goyal accepted a petition filed by Negi's wife, Kiran Negi, and also said that no officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre should be associated with the probe.
Kiran Negi had alleged that her husband was tortured by his superior officials for six months, and they also misbehaved with him. She also alleged that her husband was forced to work till late at night even when he was ill.
Vimal Negi had joined the corporation on June 15, 2024. Just two weeks later, on July 1, 2024, he was reportedly under stress and receiving medical treatment for anxiety.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the Himachal Pradesh government will not file an appeal against the High Court order. He, however, expressed unhappiness over the court's observation of not including any officer of the state cadre in the probe.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Jairam Thakur, who had alleged that Negi's death was linked to corruption and that a person close to the Chief Minister was involved, welcomed the High Court order.
Mr Sukhu, meanwhile, has alleged the BJP "politicised a tragedy." Lashing out at the opposition, he accused the BJP of turning a sensitive issue into a political spectacle.
Cop vs Cop Tussle
The case has also exposed a tussle within the Himachal Pradesh Police. Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP) Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, who was heading the initial SIT into the suspicious death, on Saturday levelled serious allegations against Director General of Police (DGP) Atul Verma, accusing him of interference in the investigation, abuse of authority, and obstruction of justice.
Speaking to the media, SP Gandhi alleged that the DGP's office not only attempted to derail the investigation but also sought to manipulate judicial proceedings through false affidavits.
He asserted that despite hurdles, his team had unearthed critical forensic evidence in the Vimal Negi case, including a pen drive that had been tampered with.
"This is not a personal battle. I am committed to ensuring justice for Vimal Negi's family and to protecting the integrity of the investigations conducted by my team," the SP said.
Mr Gandhi also submitted a formal leave application to protect himself and his team from further harassment. He has approached the court to ensure that the evidence collected by his team is preserved after the case is transferred to the CBI.
Mr Verma, in turn, has recommended the immediate suspension of the SP. In a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), the DGP said that Gandhi had made "unsubstantiated and inappropriate allegations against senior government functionaries and constitutional authorities", and he should be suspended, "pending the outcome of a departmental inquiry and the CBI investigation" into the death of the HPPCL engineer.
(With inputs from PTI)
