EnglishHindi

08:07 AM

Friday - March 21, 2025

Weather: 17°C

REGD.-HP-09-0015257

Breaking News

BJP Leaders Join Protest Seek Meena’s Suspension and CBI Probe into Death of Vimal Negi

  • HimbuMailNewsService www.himbumail.com

BJP Leaders Join Protest, Demand CBI Probe and Suspension of HPPCL MD, Director in Vimal Negi Death Case

Shimla | March 19 — The mysterious death of HPPCL Chief Engineer Vimal Negi snowballed into a major political storm today  as Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur along with senior BJP leaders Vipin Parmar, Randhir Sharma, Balbir Verma, Suresh Bhardwaj, Sarpal Satti, and Inder Dutt Lakhanpal reached the protest site, demanding an immediate CBI probe and suspension of HPPCL MD  Meena and Director Des Raj.

Standing by Kisan to Negi, the grieving wife of the deceased officer, and scores of HPPCL employees sitting on dharna, the BJP leaders tore into the government, alleging "pressure, harassment, and corruption" within HPPCL that pushed Vimal Negi to death.

“This is not just a suicide... it smells of a planned murder. We demand an immediate CBI probe and suspension of these officers who were harassing Vimal Negi. Truth must come out, and guilty must be punished,” Jai Ram Thakur thundered at the protest site.

Following the massive uproar, the Himachal government ordered a high-level probe to be headed by Additional Chief Secretary Onkar Chand Sharma. Till then, Rakesh Prajapati has been made interim MD replacing Meena, and Surender Kumar will hold the post of Director in place of Des Raj.

SP Sanjeev Gandhi and DC Shimla Anupam Kashyap reached the spot and tried to pacify the protestors, informing them that an FIR has been lodged, and the police will probe the case "fairly and firmly".

 

However, protestors — including Vimal Negi’s family, friends, and HPPCL staff — remained adamant. “If Meena, Des Raj, and even the Director Personnel & Finance are not suspended, there’s no point in this inquiry. They will influence the probe. We want CBI to take over,” shouted one of Negi’s colleagues.

The death of Vimal Negi has ripped open alleged fault lines within HPPCL, with employees claiming the top brass ran the corporation like a private fiefdom, pushing honest officers to the brink.

Now, with the Opposition throwing its weight behind the protest, the ball is in the government’s court — Will it act or try to hush up the case like many others?

**#JusticeForVimalNegi #CBIForVimalNegi #HPPCLScam #HPPCLProtest #CorruptionInPowerSector #HimachalNews #ShimlaUpdates #JusticeDelayed

Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Insta Email Print
Baragarh
MissingCEVimalNegi

Latest Top 10 Hits

Two ITI Students Drown in Sainj River, Bodies Recovered in a Daylong SeRcg
News
Two ITI Students Drown in Sainj River, Bodies Recovered in a Daylong SeRcg
BJP Smells Cover-up in Vimal Negi's Death Case, Demands CBI Inquiry
News
BJP Smells Cover-up in Vimal Negi's Death Case, Demands CBI Inquiry
Uttarakhand Police Launch Operation Mukti free Children From Begging
News
Uttarakhand Police Launch Operation Mukti free Children From Begging
News
Shimla Municipal Corporation Budget, Big Promises, But No Big Revenue Plan?
Latest
CBI Nabs a Nigerian National in Email Fraid Case
Jhulasan In Gujarat Erupts in Joy As NASA Astronaut.Sunni Williams Land on Earth
News
Jhulasan In Gujarat Erupts in Joy As NASA Astronaut.Sunni Williams Land on Earth
News
SJVN Seals Rs 9500 Cr Deal for 1800MW Kotpali Pumped Storage Project in Chhattisgarh
News
HP CM Sukhu Blames Jai Ram Thakur for Stalling Shiv Dham and Balh Airport Projects
News
Central Funds a ' Right,, Not Favour' vs 'Sukhu Fails on All Front' in Himachal’s Vidhan Sabha
News
Shimla Police Nab Two from Punjab with Chitta from Home Stay in Shimla

Latest Stories

Mar 13
NEET NRI Quota Scam Shakes up Medical Education System in India

🚨EXCLUSIVE | NEET NRI QUOTA SCAM: A TICKING TIME B...

Mar 12
Chief Engineer, HP Power Corporation Missing Since March 10, Family Seeks CM Sukhu’s Immediate Attention

Chief Engineer HP Power Corporation goes Missing:...

Mar 12
HPU Fuels Youth Action for Gender Equality

HPU Ignites Youth Action for Gender Equality

Trending

News

Two ITI Students Drown in Sainj River, Bodies Recovered in a Daylong SeRcg

Kullu, March 21 —A fun outing turned tragic for two ITI students as their bodies were fished out from a deep pool of the Sainj River near the Bihali Power Project in Sainj area of Kullu district early Friday morning.

The victims — Dharmendra (18), son of Geeta Nand from Murah village, and Ghanshyam, son of Daya Ram from Kahra village, both hailing from Bali Chowki in Mandi — had gone missing on Thursday afternoon while bathing in the river.

 

According to eyewitnesses, the duo entered the river despite warnings about the rising water levels due to snowmelt and dam releases. The swift current pulled them in, and both disappeared within moments, leaving their friends in shock.

 

The local police, district administration, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) launched a massive search operation.

However, poor light conditions forced the teams to call off the search late Thursday evening. The operation resumed early Friday, and both bodies were recovered from a river pool after hours of effort.

 

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem to ascertain the exact cause of death. A case has been registered, and police are investigating the circumstances that led to the tragic accident.

 

Locals blamed a lack of proper warning signage and safety measures near the riverbanks, especially close to hydropower project areas where sudden water surges are common.

 

The district administration has once again appealed to tourists, locals, and students to stay away from riverbanks and avoid venturing into rivers, especially during this season when the water flow remains unpredictable.

#KulluTragedy #ParvatiRiver #RiverDrowning #HimachalPradesh #ITIDrowning #HimachalNews #KulluNews #NDRFRescue #ParvatiValley #RiverSafety #HydelProjectRisks

News

BJP Smells Cover-up in Vimal Negi's Death Case, Demands CBI Inquiry

BJP Smells Cover-Up in Vimal Negi Death Case, Questions IAS-Officer-Led Probe — Demands CBI Inquiry

Shimla: The mysterious death of HPPCL Chief Engineer Vimal Negi has snowballed into a full-blown political storm in Himachal. BJP has gone all guns blazing against the Congress government, questioning how one IAS officer can probe another when the FIR itself names the department’s MD.

Led by Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and state BJP chief Dr. Rajeev Bindal, the BJP delegation knocked on the Governor’s door, demanding a CBI probe into the case.

Jai Ram am minced no words — "How can the government expect a fair probe when they’ve handed it over to another IAS officer? Is this a joke?"

 

‘Nation wants to know — why no action when family cried for help?’

Jairam said the entire country is watching how a senior officer went missing for days, the family ran pillar to post, but no FIR was registered.

"On March 18, Vimal Negi’s body is fished out from Gobind Sagar lake, and still, the government tries to hush it up. Is this how a life is treated in Himachal now?" he lashed out.

The BJP made it clear — this wasn’t a simple case of suicide. "Negi was under immense pressure. His family and HPPCL employees openly named MD Harikesh Meena and Director Desh Raj for mentally harassing him to toe the line on illegal tasks. That pushed him to the edge," Jairam alleged.

‘FIR names the post, not the man — are they shielding someone?’

The BJP tore into the FIR, questioning how it mentions the ‘post’ of MD but not the officer’s name.

"By the time FIR was filed, the MD had been changed. So, is the case against the post or the officer who drove him to death? Looks like a cover-up," Jairam said.

‘IAS probing IAS? Justice is a far cry in this setup’

"How can an IAS officer investigate another IAS? Isn’t this a classic case of conflict of interest?" Jai Ram fumed. BJP warned that if the government doesn’t act, employees and family members won’t sit quiet.

‘CBI probe only way forward, 2 years of HPPCL’s working must be audited’

BJP demanded:

1. The second officer’s name must be added to the FIR.

2. A CBI probe should be ordered — not just into Negi’s death, but also into HPPCL’s functioning over the past two years.

‘This is not just Himachal’s issue anymore — the nation is watching’

The way Vimal Negi’s body was placed outside HPPCL office by grieving family members and angry employees speaks volumes.

"They forced the government’s hand to act. Still, the MD was just replaced, not suspended. What more proof does one need of a cover-up?" BJP leaders asked.

#JusticeForVimalNegi #HPPCLDeathMystery #IASUnderScanner #MentalHarassmentOrMurder #CBIInquiryNow #HimachalPolitics #SuicideOrMurder #NegiDeathCoverUp #HPPCLScam #NationDemandsAnswers

News

HP CM Sukhu Urges Sitharaman to Lift Restrictions on External Borrowings

Himachal CM rushes to Nirmala Sitharaman as debt crosses ₹1 lakh crore, seeks bailout from Centre

Shimla / New Delhi, 20 March 2025

Facing a mounting financial crisis with debt crossing ₹1 lakh crore, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday made an urgent pitch to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking a bailout.

Sukhu requested the Centre to ease borrowing restrictions and allow Himachal Pradesh to access external aid, especially from the World Bank, to prevent stalled projects from turning into abandoned assets.

 

During his meeting in New Delhi, Sukhu strongly urged Sitharaman to review the Department of Expenditure’s cap on external borrowings, blaming it for choking the state’s cash flow and stalling critical infrastructure projects.

“Many projects are stuck midway as funds have dried up. The cap has pushed the state towards a deeper financial mess,” he reportedly told the Finance Minister.

 

The Chief Minister, last week, had presented a ₹58,524 crore budget for 2025-26 in the Vidhan Sabha, which left the state staring at a fiscal deficit of over ₹10,534 crore. Sukhu had announced a slew of new schemes, further tightening the financial rope.

This fresh push for external borrowings aims at keeping the state afloat and fulfilling his commitments to employees and pensioners, especially regarding arrears.

Seeking an urgent breather, Sukhu also requested approval for Himachal’s reconstruction and rehabilitation proposal under a new multilateral funding window of the World Bank—over and above the borrowing ceiling imposed by the Ministry of Finance.

 

Worried over the shrinking Revenue Deficit Grants, the Chief Minister admitted that despite the state’s attempts to mobilize additional resources, it isn’t enough to meet the growing budgetary obligations for 2025-26.

Sukhu demanded permission for additional borrowing up to 2 percent of the state’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) to bridge the gap.

 

"High-altitude, tough terrain and unpredictable weather escalate construction costs here. Himachal deserves special consideration for additional central resources," Sukhu argued, pointing towards the rising cost of infrastructure development in the hill state.

 As the current financial year draws to a close, the Chief Minister is desperately trying to position himself on a better financial footing.

All pleas to get the state’s rightful share in the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) have been cut down to dismal levels, much below expectations.

The state’s share of GST compensation is still awaited, while the Centre is sitting on a whopping ₹10,500 crore deposited by Himachal under the New Pension Policy (NPS).

The amount is crucial to honour Sukhu’s commitment of paying Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to lakhs of pensioners.

 Adding to the financial mess, the faltering states of Haryana and Punjab are not releasing Himachal’s pending arrears on account its share of 7.19 per cent in BBMB projects, despite a clear Supreme Court order directing immediate payment. The arrears now stand at over  Rs4200 crore. 

Ironically, the government spokesperson did not clarify whether CM Sukhu reiterated these crucial pending demands for release of the state’s dues before the Union Finance Minister.

 

The financial pinch has deepened with the Centre slashing revenue deficit grants, forcing the debt-ridden state to knock on Delhi’s door once again.

Officials accompanying the CM—Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Principal Advisor Ram Subhag Singh, and Resident Commissioner Meera Mohanty—briefed the Union Ministry on the worsening fiscal scenario.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman assured the CM of sympathetic consideration, but the real test lies ahead as Himachal stares at an uphill fiscal battle.

With debt now breaching the ₹1 lakh crore mark, Himachal is fast sliding into a financial quagmire.

Political observers say Sukhu’s appeal to the Centre may be his last shot at preventing a full-blown fiscal crisis as more borrowins mean more debt burden.

Whether the Centre bails the hill state out remains to be seen. But insiders say the Centre wants to keep the Sukhu government at edge. 

#HimachalPradesh #HimachalBudget2025 #FiscalCrisis #HimachalDebt #SukhuGovernment #NirmalaSitharaman #WorldBank #RevenueDeficit #EmployeesArrears #PensionersDues #FinancialCrisis #HimachalPolitics #HimachalNews #GSTDues #OPS #NPSFunds #PendingArrears #PunjabHaryanaDues

News

BJP Stages Walkout Over Vimal Negi's Death Case from Vidhan Sabha, Seeks CBI Probe

BJP Stages Walkout Over Chief Engineer Vimal Negi’s Mysterious Death, Demands CBI Probe

Shimla, March 20:

The Himachal Pradesh Assembly witnessed high drama on Wednesday as BJP MLAs led by Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur staged a walkout, accusing the state government of shielding the guilty in the mysterious death of Vimal Negi, Chief Engineer of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL), whose body was recovered from Bhakra Dam near Swarghat on Tuesday.

 

Thakur tore into the Congress government, alleging a cover-up. “When I asked the Chief Minister to speak on the matter, he signaled to the Speaker not to allow the debate. What is the government hiding?” questioned Jai Ram, demanding a CBI probe in line with the demand of protesting employees and Vimal Negi’s family.

 

Thakur slammed Revenue Minister Jagat Negi, who retorted that CBI is under the Centre’s control. “This is an unfortunate statement. The government is refusing to order a probe even when serious allegations have surfaced. Is the government scared of the truth coming out?” he asked.

 

The BJP accused the state government of shielding the guilty. “The FIR clearly names Des Raj, but the MD’s designation is also mentioned. Still, the government is busy protecting the accused, ignoring what Vimal Negi’s wife Kiran Negi is saying,” Jai Ram added.

 

The BJP team met Kiran Negi at the protest site outside HPPCL headquarters and backed the family’s demand to suspend top officials. “HPPCL has become a hub of controversies in the past two years. There is massive corruption and political shielding. The Chief Minister must break his silence,” Thakur said.

With tempers running high, the BJP walked out of the House in protest, warning the government of a bigger agitation if a fair probe is not ordered.

#JusticeForVimalNegi #HPPCLControversy #CBIProbeNow #HimachalNews #HimachalPolitics #CorruptionWatch 

News

HPPCL Director Des Raj Suspended in Vimal Negi’s Mysterious Death Case

Himachal Power Corp rocked by mysterious death of Chief Engineer Vimal Negi; Director Electrical Desraj suspended, FIR under BNS abetment to suicide, BJP demands CBI probe

Shimla: The mysterious death of Chief Engineer and General Manager of HP Power Corporation, Vimal Negi, whose body was fished out from Bhakra Dam near Swarghat, has shaken Himachal Pradesh, triggering political uproar and serious allegations of a cover-up at the top.

 

The Sukhu government, under massive pressure from protesting family members, employees, and relatives, late last night suspended Director Electrical Desraj and ordered a high-level probe headed by Additional Chief Secretary Omkar Chandra Sharma, who will submit his report within 15 days.

 

Acting on the complaint filed by Vimal Negi’s wife, Kiran Negi, the police have registered an FIR under Section 108(3)(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023—the new law replacing IPC for abetment of suicide.

Shockingly, the FIR has named Desraj but not HPCL Managing Director Harikesh Meena, raising serious suspicion of shielding Meena, an IAS officer. Sources claim the Chief Secretary himself is protecting Meena, leading to unrest among employees and protests intensifying.

Kiran Negi, backed by family and employees, has alleged continuous mental harassment by Meena and Desraj that forced her husband to take the extreme step. Under BNS Section 108(3)(5), abetment of suicide is a non-bailable and cognizable offence, punishable by up to 10 years in jail and fine. Legal experts say Meena’s exclusion from the FIR looks deliberate, especially when the family’s complaint clearly names him.

 

Sensing the political storm, BJP’s Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, along with several MLAs, rushed to Shimla, met Kiran Negi, and joined the protesters.

Jai Ram accused the Sukhu government of protecting senior officers and demanded an immediate CBI probe and suspension of Meena and Director (Finance and Personnel) Shivam Pratap Singh.

 

It was only after Desraj’s suspension that the family agreed to lift the protest and took Vimal Negi’s body to his native Katgaon village in Kinnaur for the last rites.

 

The government also removed Meena and Shivam Pratap Singh from HPCL, transferring them to other departments while handing over the MD’s charge to Rakesh Prajapati. However, the move has failed to douse the political fire, with the BJP alleging that Meena is being quietly protected.

 

CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has personally spoken to the family, assuring them of justice and strict action. But the big question remains—will Meena face arrest or walk away shielded by the system?

#HPPowerCorp #VimalNegiDeathMystery #JusticeForVimalNegi #AbetmentToSuicide #BNS108_3_5 #NonBailableOffence #HimachalNews #Shimla #Kinnaur #BhakraDamMystery #CBIProbeDemand #JaiRamThakur #HimachalPolitics #CorruptionExposed #HPPCLScandal #JusticeForEngineer #SukhuGovtUnderPressure #IASShielded #BreakingNews

Legal position:

Section 108(3)(5) BNS 2023 (Abetment of Suicide): Non-bailable and cognizable offence.

 

Punishment: Up to 10 years imprisonment and fine.

Exclusion of Meena from FIR despite being named by the family raises serious legal and ethical questions. Bail for Desraj will depend on Sessions Court’s view of the evidence.

Top News

Motive

The mainstream media houses dominated by the city- centric editors have been indifferent to the problems and issues faced by the Himalayan people down the centuries. HimbuMail is born to fill this gap and seeks to become their real voice.

 

News Coverage

City Explore

Shimla and Solan 2483 Himachal 1462 Trending 1432 New Delhi 573 Uttarakand 538 Jammu & Kashmir 497 Chandigarh 374 Ladakh 293 Dehradun 269 North East 195 Punjab 171 Leh 94 Arunachal Pradesh 87 Haryana 82 Sikkim 56

💰 Donate TO Us !

Donate Now »

Why Donate ?

HimbuMail is new web newsepaper and is being run on no-profit basis by professionals, who need financial support for  sustainable operation of the web news portal.

your support is Supreme!

Subscribe to HimbuMail

 

Himbumail
Install App on Your Device