CBI lodges FIR, forms 3-member team to probe HPPCL engineer’s death case

The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered an FIR into the mysterious death of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL) engineer and started a probe into the matter after forming a three-member special team.

The deceased engineer Vimal Negi went missing on March 10 and his body was found on March 18 in Bilapsur district, following which his wife lodged a complaint in Shimla alleging that her husband was pressurised for the last six months by HPPCL Director (Electrical) Deshraj.

The Himachal Pradesh Police registered a case of abetment of suicide and the matter was being investigated by an SIT led by SP Shimla Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi.

Additional Chief Secretary of the state had also inquired the matter and subsequently filed a 66-page fact-finding inquiry report to the government on April 8, the contents of which are not available with this newspaper.

However, despite the investigation by the police, the family of the deceased engineer was not satisfied and ultimately approached the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

A single Bench of the High Court, led by Justice Ajay Goyal, on May 23 accepted the petition by Negi’s wife, Kiran Negi, and ordered the transfer of the probe from the state police’s SIT to the CBI.

For the fairness of the investigation, the High Court ordered the CBI to ensure that no officer from the Himachal Pradesh cadre shall be a part of the special investigation team that may be constituted for investigation.

The CBI, based on the court’s directions, re-registered the FIR against unknown people under Sections 108 (abetment to suicide) and 3 (5) (involvement of many people in crime) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The three-member team which will investigate the case will be led by a DSP-level officer and include one inspector and one sub-inspector.

Himachal Tribune