Sunil Chadha
Shimla: A petition challenging the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s decision to hand over the Vimal Negi death case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has brought fresh confusion as it has been filed in the name of the Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP).
But a key question remains unanswered: Is the appellant the former SP Sanjeev Gandhi, who was recently sent on leave by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu after the indiscipline imbroglio, or his replacement Gaurav Singh, currently the Solan SP holding additional charge of Shimla?
This ambiguity has raised fresh political and legal questions, especially since the appeal appears to contradict the public stance of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who recently stated that his government would not oppose the CBI probe and would extend full cooperation.
Appeal filed but faces technical roadblocks
The appeal has been submitted against the May 23 order of a single-judge Bench of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, which transferred the investigation into the suspicious death of Vimal Negi, Chief Engineer of HP Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL), to the CBI. It is believed that the petition seeks a hearing before a Division Bench.
However, the High Court registry has not formally admitted the plea, citing multiple procedural lapses. One major objection is that the appeal was filed in an official capacity but not through the office of the Advocate General, a mandatory procedural requirement.
Furthermore, several pages were found to be illegible and the registry has pointed out other technical deficiencies as well. Time has been granted to correct these issues and re-file the petition.
Unclear authorship of the appeal
Adding to the mystery is the unclear authorship of the appeal. While filed under the designation “SP, Shimla”, sources indicate that Sanjeev Gandhi, who headed the SIT investigating the case, may have filed the plea before being relieved.
Others suggest it may have been filed under the charge of Gaurav Singh, who was given additional charge of Shimla SP after Gandhi was sent on leave.
HC rapped Shimla police, ordered CBI investigation
The appeal challenges a scathing May 23 judgment by Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, who handed the investigation to the CBI, citing serious concerns over the integrity and objectivity of the local probe.
The high court came down heavily on the state’s conduct, particularly the role of the Shimla SP-led SIT and the state government’s handling of a fact-finding report submitted by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Onkar Chand Sharma.
The judge observed that the state had “ensured that the inquiry report did not see the light of day”, accusing it of shielding officers accused of harassing Vimal Negi.
Further, the high court found the SIT’s investigation to be narrow and flawed, focused disproportionately on suicide rather than investigating potential coercion by senior officers. It also noted that the SIT had failed to probe key leads, including allegations that Negi was being pressured by HPPCL seniors to favour a private project proponent.
BJP sees a cover-up, government on the defensive
The appeal has reignited political tensions, with the opposition BJP accusing the Congress-led state government of attempting to derail the CBI investigation.
BJP Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur alleged that the appeal reflected a “coordinated attempt by the government to protect corrupt officials and suppress the truth behind Vimal Negi’s death”.
Jai Ram demanded clarity on who actually filed the petition and questioned why Chief Minister Sukhu had not acted against the officer despite claiming zero tolerance for indiscipline.
For his part, CM Sukhu has maintained that the government welcomed the CBI probe and dismissed BJP’s allegations as political opportunism. Sukhu insisted that the state government would not obstruct the CBI in any way and reiterated that justice for Vimal Negi’s family remains a top priority.
