Shimla: In a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation into the mysterious death of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Chief Engineer Vimal Negi, the Shimla police have suspended Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Pankaj of the Sadar police station for allegedly concealing a critical piece of evidence — a pen drive recovered from Negi’s body.
The revelation, which has raised serious questions about the integrity of the initial investigation, came to light during a recent hearing at the Himachal Pradesh High Court. Shimla Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Gandhi confirmed the suspension and disclosed that a formal departmental inquiry has been launched against ASI Pankaj for suspected tampering and misconduct.
DGP’s affidavit in high court spills the beans
The suspension follows scrutiny from the Himachal Pradesh High Court during the proceedings on May 21 where it reviewed an affidavit submitted by Director General of Police (DGP) Atul Verma.
In his submission, the DGP explicitly flagged ASI Pankaj’s conduct as “suspicious,” alleging that the officer not only recovered a pen drive at the site where Negi’s body was found, but also failed to log it into evidence and later formatted it.
According to the DGP’s affidavit, surveillance data suggested the ASI was on a phone call at the time of recovery, fueling speculation of a possible attempt to suppress evidence. The pen drive, now believed to potentially contain crucial information about the final days or professional pressures faced by Vimal Negi, is at the centre of a growing controversy.
Shimla SP cited jurisdictional loopholes
Appearing personally before the court, SP Sanjeev Gandhi stated that the initial recovery and post-mortem were carried out in Bilaspur, outside the jurisdiction of Shimla police.
This, he explained, had limited their capacity to directly oversee early-stage investigative procedures. Nonetheless, he admitted that ASI Pankaj’s actions appeared deeply problematic and warranted immediate action.
“This is a serious lapse. If the departmental inquiry finds more irregularities, further disciplinary measures will be taken,” Gandhi assured the high court. “No officer, regardless of rank, will be shielded if found guilty of evidence suppression or misconduct.”
The case of Vimal Negi, who went missing on March 10 and was found dead eight days later in Gobind Sagar Lake, has already seen a series of twists. With allegations of workplace harassment by senior HPPCL officials and the recent high court order transferring the probe to the CBI — with explicit instructions to exclude Himachal cadre officers — the concealment of the pen drive only adds to the growing concerns about an attempted cover-up, said a cousin of Vimal Negi.
Munish Sood
