Shimla, March 26: The mysterious death of Viman Negi, Chief Engineer of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL), has now snowballed into a major scandal, with three top HPPCL officials — Managing Director Harikesh Meena, Director (Personnel & Finance) Shivam Pratap Singh, and Director (Electrical) Desraj — going underground, sparking massive outrage.

Desraj, named in the FIR filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), had moved a bail plea in the Himachal Pradesh High Court. But with his plea rejected today, all three officials vanished, reportedly fleeing the state, nobody knows their whereabouts so far.

Interestingly, while Deshraj's name figured in the FIR, the names of MD Harikesh Meena and Shivam Pratap Singh — both facing serious allegations from Viman Negi's family — are conspicuously missing from the FIR.

Kiren Negi had mentioned three names in the complaint lodged at  the police station New Shimla. Why only Des Raj is named in the FIR? 

In the High Court Today

High Court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Desh Raj, accused of abetting the suicide of his junior officer Vimal Negi, whose body was recovered from Bhakra Dam last week.

Justice Virender Singh, while pronouncing the verdict on Tuesday, observed that serious allegations backed by digital and documentary evidence make it a fit case for custodial interrogation.

The case was registered on the complaint of Vimal Negi’s wife, Kiran Negi, who alleged that her husband was subjected to mental torture, overwork, and humiliation for months by Desh Raj and the HPPCL Managing Director.

She claimed Vimal was denied sick leave, forced to work late nights, and threatened with disciplinary action.

Negi, who went missing on March 18, was found dead in Bhakra Dam the next day. The police, acting on the complaint, booked Desh Raj under Sections 108 (abetment to suicide) and 3(5) of the newly enforced Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The court noted that the Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by ASP Navdeep Singh, had seized crucial digital evidence, including CCTV footage and biometric records, showing Negi was forced to work late hours.

Statements of his subordinates also corroborated the mental harassment allegations.

“Given the applicant’s influential position, there is a strong possibility of tampering with evidence and influencing witnesses. Custodial interrogation is necessary for the fair probe,” the court observed.

The police argued that Desh Raj has gone underground and is evading arrest. His PA also reportedly admitted that Negi was under extreme stress due to the 35 mw Pekhuwala solar Project extension pressure.

Dismissing the bail plea, the court said FIR is not meant to be an encyclopedia but enough prima facie material exists to proceed with the probe.

The SIT has seized voluminous records, and the forensic analysis of digital evidence is underway. Post-mortem reports from AIIMS Bilaspur are awaited.

Meanwhile  SIT and a parallel high-level probe ordered by the state government, headed by Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Onkar Chand Sharma, have been combing through HPPCL offices for the last two days, scanning files and gathering evidence.

However, despite the SIT interacting with staff and recording statements, no arrests have been made so far — not even Deshraj, whose bail plea has been rejected.

The case had  grown murkier with the revelation that Vimal Negi’s body was recovered from Bhakra Dam after 10 days, with his wife Kiran Negi leveling direct charges of mental harassment and abetment by the  senior officers.

"They tortured him mentally, forced him to sign illegal files, and drove him to death. Now they are hiding under political protection," Kiran Negi alleged.

The family's demand for a CBI probe is gaining momentum, with Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur leading the BJP’s charge.

“This is no ordinary case. A government engineer is dead, his family is crying for justice, and the accused are absconding. Still, the government is shielding them. We demand a CBI probe to bring the culprits to justice” Jai Ram Thakur said.

Despite mounting pressure, the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government has refused to hand over the case to the CBI, banking on SIT and the high-level inquiry.

But family, and political leaders smell a cover-up, accusing the government of saving its " top  officers" who allegedly enjoyed political patronage.

Meanwhile, the SIT is tight-lipped over the next move, as all three top officials have gone hiding fearing arrest or questioning.

With every passing hour, the mystery deepens — is this a case of suicide, or was Viman Negi pushed to his death?

Why is the government shielding those in the dock? Why is the SIT dragging its feet? Questioned family members.

As the probe unfolds, one thing is clear — this case has turned into a litmus test for the Sukhu government.

Either justice will prevail, or it will go down as yet another cold case where power and protection killed the truth.

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