Vimal Negi Death Case: Top Bureaucrat, DGP And Shimla SP Proceed On Leave, CBI Lodges FIR

Shimla, May 27: Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Onkar Sharma, Director General of Police Atul Verma and Superintendent of Police Shimla Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi proceeded on leave on Tuesday, officials said.
This comes on the day the CBI registered an FIR in the Vimal Negi death case and after Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu held a meeting with top officials Tuesday evening.
On Monday, Sukhu, responding to questions about officers involved in the investigation of HPPCL engineer Vimal Negi’s death, had said “indiscipline” from officers would not be tolerated.
Shimla SP Gandhi, who headed the SIT probe formed by the state government, recently held a press conference levelling serious allegations against DGP Verma and others. The DGP subsequently wrote to ACS (Home) calling for the SP’s suspension.
ACS (Home) Sharma had conducted a fact-finding inquiry into Negi’s death.
The CM has expressed his displeasure over the ongoing tussle between DGP Verma and SP Gandhi and also with ACS (Home) for bypassing the advocate general office while submitting his fact-finding report.
Showcause notices have been issued to both DGP and SP for indiscipline. A two-member committee has been constituted to inquire into the conduct of the DGP and the SP, officials said.
Sukhu had also met the governor on Tuesday morning but said that it was a courtesy call.
Director General State (Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau) Ashok Tiwari would hold additional charge of the post of DGP while Solan SP Gaurav Singh would hold additional charge of the post of Shimla SP, notifications issued here said.
Additional Chief Secretary Kamlesh Kumar Pant would hold additional charge of the Home, Vigilance and Revenue departments, Secretary Kadam Sandeep Vasat would hold additional charge of the Jal Shakti department and Secretary Rakhil Kahlon would hold additional charge of the Tribal Development department. All the departments were previously with Onkar Sharma.
Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) chief engineer Vimal Negi had gone missing on March 10 and his body was found on March 18 in Bilapsur district under mysterious circumstances.
The case stirred a political storm in Himachal Pradesh, with the opposition BJP alleging a cover-up.
His wife Kiran Negi alleged that his seniors harassed him and demanded a CBI probe into his death. Family members protested by placing the engineer’s body outside the HPPCL office in Shimla on March 19.
Later, a case of abetment to suicide and joint criminal liability under BNS against HPPCL Director (Electrical) Deshraj and Managing Director Harikesh Meena was registered.
On Friday, the Himachal Pradesh High Court ordered that the case be transferred from the Special Investigation Team headed by SP Gandhi to the CBI.
Gandhi, who had levelled serious charges against the DGP, his staff, the chief secretary and former DGP Sanjay Kundu in a press conference on Saturday. The next day, DGP Verma wrote a letter to ACS (Home) recommending the suspension of the SP.
The DGP who is retiring on May 31 had submitted a status report in the high court in the Vimal Negi death case questioning the impartiality of the probe by the (SIT) headed by SP Shimla. The high court transferred the case to CBI citing the DGP’s status report.
The CBI on Tuesday lodged an FIR in the case for abetment to suicide and common intention under sections 108 and 3 (5) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), officials said. (Agencies)

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