News Analysis: Gandhi’s return as Shimla SP brings focus back on Vimal Negi death case

The return of Sanjeev Gandhi as Superintendent of Police (SP), Shimla, within a month of he being sent on leave for his so-called act of ‘indiscipline’ has brought the focus back on the Vimal Negi death case and the manner in which all the officers involved handled the case.

Much to the surprise of everyone, Gandhi, after meeting Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, resumed the charge of SP yesterday. The decision was met with much astonishment, especially when Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Onkar Sharma was stripped of all the important departments held by him and given charge of Tribal Affairs.

A churning in the bureaucracy in the state capital is evident with Gandhi’s recall and Sharma’s so-called “punishment”, but several questions in the Negi death case seem no closer to resolution. Moreover, since the case has been handed over to the CBI, officials are wondering how the pieces are being stacked on the new chessboard.

Meanwhile, a recall of the Vimal Negi death case bears repetition. How Negi, a Chief Engineer in the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL) had gone missing on March 10. His body was later found in the Govindsagar Dam on March 18. On the complaint of Negi’s wife, Managing Director of HPPCL Harikesh Meena and Director (Electrical) Desh Raj were named in the FIR. A SIT headed by Gandhi initially investigated the case, but following a High Court directive, the case was handed over to the CBI.

The state government then cracked the whip on DGP Atul Verma, ACS Onkar Sharma and Gandhi, asking all three to proceed on leave on May 27. The Chief Minister had expressed his displeasure at the manner in which all three had behaved, which he viewed as indiscipline.

It was even worse for Verma, who was to retire within five days on May 31, to end his service in such a manner. But not before he dared to make a disclosure about a pen drive that had been found on Negi’s body — it was never made part of the case record. Both Verma and Sharma, who had been entrusted the task of holding a fact finding inquiry into the Vimal Negi death case, were accused of placing their affidavits before the High Court without the knowledge of the Advocate General.

“The so-called act of ‘indiscipline’ indulged in by all the three officers has received differential treatment, which is surprising,” said a senior IAS officer. However, the general feeling among the bureaucracy, several of whom who spoke to The Tribune on the condition of anonymity, was that there was no misconduct on the part of Sharma, who had dared to conduct a fair and impartial inquiry within the stipulated time, based on facts.

As for the return of Gandhi, many felt that he had “overstepped his limits” by challenging the authority of his superiors, at a press conference. “It is an obvious case of misconduct and in a disciplined organisation,” is the sentiment echoed by most of his colleagues in the police. Gandhi, while vouching for his integrity, had hit out at Verma, accusing his office staff of having links with those involved in drug trafficking. He went to the extent of claiming that he would make disclosures against many higher ups, including a constitutional authority at an appropriate time.

Sharma, meanwhile, who resumed duty last week and has been left with the Tribal Affairs department, was in the race for Chief Secretary. Prior to the Negi case, he was handling key portfolios like Home and Vigilance, Revenue and Jal Shakti. Meena, who remains under the CBI scanner, has also been made Special Secretary, Youth Services and Sports after being removed from his post as MD, HPPCL.

Himachal Tribune