While accusing BJP of politicising the death of Chief Engineer Vimal Negi, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said today that the state government will not appeal against the high court order handing over the case to CBI.
Addressing a press conference, Sukhu said Negi’s family had never approached him for a CBI inquiry, which he would have ordered if they had come to him.
“The state government will fully cooperate with CBI and provide them with every possible help to ensure that the family gets justice,” he said. Sukhu admitted that internal squabbling among top police officers was a factor, saying that the high court was informed about the developments in the case.
“I want to make it amply clear that any act of indiscipline by officers will not be tolerated, and after reviewing the situation, action will be taken against erring officers,” he said.
“Negi was posted in HP Power Corporation Ltd on June 15, 2024, so I don’t know what pressure he suffered within nine months. But I want to reiterate that our government wants the family to get justice,” he added.
Sukhu said BJP, including Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, was not concerned about the circumstances that led to Negi’s death, as they were only interested in politicising the issue for mileage. “It’s natural for Negi’s family to doubt investigations when three reports from three officers stated different facts,” he said.
He disclosed that he had declined the advice of Director General of Police (DGP) Atul Verma to constitute a new SIT and had questioned Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Onkar Sharma about incorporating the versions of the three officers against whom accusations had been made by the family.
The CM admitted that the DGP and ACS had filed their affidavits in court without the vetting and knowledge of the Advocate General. Sukhu said he disagreed with the judge’s observation that no officer from Himachal cadres should be associated with the CBI probe.
“This puts a question mark even on the high court, as how many judges in the Himachal High Court are from Himachal. This is also a big question. We should avoid such remarks. We are all bound by the law, and it’s the responsibility of each one of us to respect the law,” the CM said.