TNR News Network
SHIMLA: Prior to the formal arrest of Himachal Pradesh Police ASI Pankaj Sharma in the Vimal Negi d*eath case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carried out raids at his two properties in two districts.
The raids were conducted in July 2025 last week in Shimla’s Kaithu area and Dangar the in Ghumarwin area of Bilaspur districts. The raids were based on leads obtained during initial questioning and digital forensic inputs.
Pankaj, now in CBI custody, is accused of tampering with crucial digital evidence connected to the mysterious death of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation’s Chief Engineer Vimal Negi. Sources said that several documents and electronic devices were seized during the searches and are now being examined for links to a possible larger conspiracy.
Digital evidence tampered? Suspended Cop Under Scanner
ASI Pankaj has been accused of allegedly accessing and manipulating a pen drive found on Vimal Negi’s body, potentially deleting sensitive data. He is also suspected of accessing Negi’s official laptop shortly after his death. Investigators believe this digital evidence may have contained vital information about Negi’s recent work, mental condition and possible conflicts within the Power Corporation.
The pen drive is now at the centre of the CBI’s probe, which includes forensic analysis of deleted files, recovery attempts and scrutiny of access logs. Over 90 persons, including senior engineers, department officials and police personnel, have already been questioned.
The agency is also examining CCTV footage, phone records and digital footprints to reconstruct the events leading to Vimal Negi’s disappearance and subsequent death.
CBI may include power corporation officials as witnesses
Highly placed sources said that based on Pankaj’s interrogation, the CBI may consider turning a few employees of the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation into prosecution witnesses. This move signals the agency’s belief that the case may involve coordinated data suppression and cover-ups at multiple levels.
Vimal Negi went missing from Shimla under suspicious circumstances in July. His body was recovered eight days later from Gobind Sagar Lake in Bilaspur. Though initially suspected to be a suicide, his family strongly alleged foul play, citing harassment by superiors and ignored warnings to authorities before his death.
Following public outrage and discrepancies in the early SIT probe, the Himachal Pradesh High Court transferred the case to the CBI. The high court also observed serious procedural lapses and stated that no officer from the Himachal cadre would be part of the CBI probe team to ensure impartiality.
The CBI is expected to submit a detailed status report to the high court soon, which could name new suspects and shed light on whether Vimal Negi’s death was a suicide — or a planned murder with bureaucratic complicity.
With the CBI widening its investigation and reportedly unearthing new leads, more names from both the Power Corporation and police establishment are likely to come under scrutiny.
