TNR NEWS NETWORK
Shimla:
The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Wednesday (December 24, 2025) granted interim bail to Himachal IAS officer Harikesh Meena, an accused in the death case of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Chief Engineer Vimal Negi. The court had reserved its order on Meena’s interim bail plea on December 3 after hearing arguments from all sides.
Justice Virender Singh, while allowing the interim bail, noted the submissions placed before the court during the course of the hearing. In the case, the state government was initially represented, following which the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was impleaded as a party.
After hearing all stakeholders, the court took on record the case diary (Volume I) produced by the CBI. Senior counsel appearing for Meena argued that the officer had been falsely implicated without any substantive evidence. It was contended that the deceased, Vimal Negi, had been suffering from depression for several years and was undergoing medical treatment. The defence also disputed the status report filed by the CBI, terming it incorrect and misleading.
Opposing the plea, the CBI placed its records before the court and sought dismissal of the interim bail application. The agency argued that custodial interrogation of the accused was required for effective investigation and maintained that granting bail at this stage could hamper the probe.
Meanwhile, senior counsel representing the deceased’s wife told the court that Vimal Negi was subjected to undue pressure in connection with the extension of timelines and release of funds for the Pekhuwala solar project in Una. He alleged that Chief Engineer Vimal Negi was mentally harassed and pushed under sustained stress, claiming large-scale corruption in the project. The counsel further argued that the accused had already enjoyed the benefit of bail and was moving freely, asserting that claims of the deceased’s mental health issues could not absolve senior officers of accountability.
