SHIMLA: In a significant development in the mysterious death of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) Chief Engineer Vimal Negi, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has handed over the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), citing a lack of progress by the Shimla police and serious findings in reports submitted by the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) Atul Verma and Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Onkar Chand Thakur.
Delivering the verdict on Friday (May 23, 2025) morning, Justice Ajay Mohan Goel criticised the Shimla police for failing to reach any conclusion despite the passage of over two months since Vimal Negi’s disappearance. The high court made it explicitly clear that no officer from the Himachal cadre will be included in the CBI team.
Body of Vimal Negi was found in Gobind Sagar Lake
Vimal Negi was reported missing on March 10, 2025. His body was found eight days later in Gobind Sagar Lake in Bilaspur and the initial theory suggested death by drowning. However, suspicions quickly arose when it was revealed that Vimal Negi had received a phone call from HPPCL Director (Electrical) Deshraj just hours before his disappearance.
Deshraj, who has since been suspended, was subjected to a marathon six-hour interrogation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on April 6. Former Managing Director of HPPCL and IAS officer Harikesh Meena was also questioned following allegations of workplace harassment.
Vimal Negi’s wife Kiran Negi vehemently rejected the suicide theory, alleging that her husband was mentally harassed by senior officials and murdered. She has claimed a cover-up, raised concerns about alleged tampering with the post-mortem report and demanded a CBI probe. Similar concerns were echoed in the DGP and the ACS’s findings.
HC raps police for lack of coordination
In earlier hearings, the High Court noted the lack of coordination between the DGP and the Shimla police, remarking that their internal conflicts were delaying justice. “Justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done,” the judge said during Wednesday’s proceedings, before reserving the verdict.
On Friday, the court officially announced its decision to transfer the investigation to the CBI, bolstering public confidence in the quest for accountability.
Sunil Chadha
