CBI seeks record of Vimal Negi death case from police govt won't appeal against HC order says CM

     Shimla, May 26 (PTI) The Central Bureau of Investigation has sought the records linked to the death of HPPCL engineer Vimal Negi from Shimla Police for further investigation after the Himachal Pradesh High Court transferred the case to the CBI, officials said on Monday.
     Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the Himachal Pradesh government will not file an appeal against the high court order to transfer Vimal Negi death case to the central agency but the war of words over the issue between the ruling Congress and BJP has intensified.
     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.
     A letter for handing over the case was sent to SP Shimla Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, who was the head of the SIT probe into Negi's death, by the local unit of CBI.
     The CBI also wrote a letter to the Director General of Police requesting to issue necessary directions to the SP to handover all records to the CBI.
     The Shimla SP said that the record would be handed over shortly.
     Noting Director General of Police Atul Verma raised "grave concerns" about the "mode and manner" of the investigation in his status report, the Himachal Pradesh High Court had on Friday ordered that the case be handed over to the CBI.
     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.
     Addressing mediapersons on Monday, Sukhu said the Himachal Pradesh government would not file an appeal against the order of the high court to transfer Vimal Negi death case to the CBI.
     The government will fully cooperate with the CBI as we want justice for Negi's family," Sukhu said.
     The chief minister, 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 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 while speaking to mediapersons at Ghumarwin.
     Thakur, a former chief minister of the state, demanded the immediate resignation of the CM.
     The BJP leader said his party raised the family's demand for a CBI inquiry in the assembly.
     But the CM "lied" in the House too that the family does not want any such inquiry and accused the BJP of demanding CBI investigation due to politics, Thakur said.
     "The victim's family has now approached the high court and the probe was transferred to the CBI. However, the government and its officers still have the audacity, despite the court order, to not send the case to the CBI," he said.
     Meanwhile, Kiran Negi, wife of Vimal Negi, sent a letter to chief minister requesting urgent compliance of the high court order to transfer the case to CBI.
     In the letter dated May 23, Kiran Negi said, "It has come to my knowledge that despite clear directive, the state government has not yet taken necessary steps to transfer the case to the CBI."
     "Such delay is not only against the law but also constitutes a serious act of contempt of court, undermining the authority of the judiciary and hindering the course of justice. This is particularly concerning given the public interest and allegations of possible cover ups highlighted in the court proceedings", the letter said that was widely circulated on Monday.
     On Saturday, during a media interaction, Shimla SP Gandhi made serious allegations against the DGP his staff, chief Secretary and former DGP Sanjay Kundu. This was the 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, CM Sukhu said while he has not seen the letter, there would be an inquiry into who "leaked" the letter to the media.

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