The Himachal Pradesh High Court today ordered that the case of Chief Engineer Vimal Negi’s death be handed over to the CBI.
Posted as Chief engineer in Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL), Negi had gone missing on March 10 and later his body was found in Gobindsagar dam in Bilaspur on March 18. His family had moved court seeking the handing over of the case to the CBI for an “impartial” probe into the circumstances leading to his death.
They alleged that he was being harassed at work place. They had levelled allegations against HPPCL Managing Director Harikesh Meena, Director Personnel Shivam Pratap and Director Desh Raj.
The court has directed the CBI to hold an independent inquiry into the case. The detailed order is still awaited.
Sharing details of the court directives, RK Bawa, lawyer of the Negi family, said the possibility of foul play could not be ruled out.
“The ACS report has mentioned that the matter is not being probed in a fair manner and the officers against whom the family had levelled allegations of harassment in office have been indicted, “ said Bawa.
Bawa said the court concurred with the plea of the family that fair investigation was not being done by the state police.
Additonal Chief Secretray (Home and Revenue) Onkar Sharma had submitted a 66-page fact-finding inquiry report to the government on April 8, 2025, as he had been entrusted the inquiry.
He even declined to review this report on the request of Secretary (Power) to include the rebuttal of the three officers, who faced allegations.
The conflicting affidavits submitted by the Director General of Police Atul Verma and the SP, Shimla, had also put a question mark on a fair inquiry by the SIT constituted in this regard.
