HP govt not to appeal against HC order to transfer Vimla Negi case to CBI CM

     Shimla, May 26 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh government will not file an appeal against the high court order to transfer Vimal Negi death case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Monday.
     Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited chief engineer Vimal Negi had gone missing on March 10 and his body was found on March 18 in Bilapsur district. His wife Kiran Negi alleged that his seniors had harassed him and demanded a CBI probe. The case stirred a political storm in Himachal Pradesh, with the opposition BJP alleging a cover-up.
     Negi's family protested by placing his body outside the HPPCL office in Shimla. Later, a case of abetment to suicide and joint criminal liability under BNS against HPPCL Director (Electrical) Deshraj and Managing Director Harikesh Meena was registered.
     The Congress government in the state had formed a Special Investigation Team 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 DGP in his status report about the "mode and manner" of the probe into Negi's death.
     "Himachal Pradesh government would not file an appeal against the order of the High Court to transfer Vimal Negi death case to the CBI and will fully cooperate with the CBI as we want justice for Negi's family," Sukhu told mediapersons here.
     The chief minister, however, expressed unhappiness over the court's observation of not including any officer of the state cadre in the probe.
     "I do not agree with a comment by Justice Sahib that there should be no officer from Himachal (Mein Justice Sahib ki ek tippani se sehmat nahi hoon, jispe unhonei kaha ki Himachal ka adhikari nahin hona chahiye)," Sukhu said.
     ".... how many judges are there in Himachal High Court who are related to Himachal. It raises a question mark and that is why I say that we should avoid such comments (Himachal ke High Court mein kitne Justice hai jo Himachal se sambandhit hai, yeh prashn chinh hai. Isliye mein kehta hoon hame is prakar ki tippani se bachna chahiye," the CM said.
     Responding to a question regarding the ongoing tussle between Shimla SP Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi and DGP Atul Verma, the CM, who holds the Home portfolio said "indiscipline" by officials will not be tolerated. He added that he would hold a meeting with officers on the matter.
     Gandhi headed the SIT probe into Negi's death.
     On Saturday, during a media interaction, Gandhi made serious allegations against the DGP his staff, chief Secretary and former DGP Sanjay Kundu. This was a day after the high court transferred the case to CBI.
     On Sunday, the DGP wrote a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) recommending suspension of the SP citing instances of "misconduct and insubordination".
     When asked about the letter sent by the DGP, Sukhu said while he has not seen the letter, there would be an inquiry into who "leaked" the letter to the media.
     The CM also said the probe by additional chief secretary (ACS) was for administrative reasons and not on carried out on the demand of Negi's family. The probe, Sukhu said, has been sent for further legal opinion on why the ACS did not get statements of officers accused in the case.
     Sukhu said allegations against Meena and Deshraj were made by Vipin Guleria who, he said, was the head of the Pekhubela project and released payments amounting to Rs 170 crore. The statements of accused officers were necessary, the CM said.
     BJP leaders have alleged corruption in the Pekhubela solar power project in Himachal’s Una district developed by HPPCL and said that Negi was being compelled to do "wrong things". The Rs 220 crore project was formally inaugurated in June 2024.
     Accusing the BJP of "playing politics" on the issue, Sukhu alleged that the party was not interested in getting justice to Vimal Negi's family.
     Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Jairam Thakur alleged that Negi's death was linked to corruption and that a person close to the CM was involved.
     "This is the reason that despite the order of the high court, the government is deliberately refusing to hand over this case to the CBI. The chief minister has been lying from the very first day, which is why the victim's family did not have any faith in him," Thakur said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)