CBI files FIR in Vimal Negi death case

Shimla, May 27 (PTI) The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday registered an FIR on charges of abetment to suicide and common intention in the death of HPPCL chief engineer Vimal Negi, days after the high court handed over the probe to the agency, officials said.

The FIR was registered in New Delhi on the basis of the case filed by Shimla police on March 19, and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Brijendra Prasad Singh would be the investigation office, they said.

The case has been registered under sections 108 (abetment to suicide) and 3 (5) (common intention) of Bhartiya Nyaya Aanhita (BNS), the officials said.

Himachal Pradesh High Court on May 23 transferred the case to the CBI, noting that the state Director General of Police raised grave concerns about the mode and manner in which the investigation was being carried out in his status report.

Negi, a Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited chief engineer, had gone missing on March 10 and his body was found on March 18 in Bilapsur district under mysterious circumstances. His wife Kiran Negi alleged that his seniors had harassed him and demanded a CBI probe.

The protesting family members had kept Negi's body outside the HPPCL office in Shimla on March 19 after which a case was registered. It was being probed by a Special Investigation Team led by Superintendent of Police of Shimla.

The case triggered a major political storm in Himachal Pradesh with the BJP accusing the Congress government of a cover-up.

A single bench of the high court comprising Justice Ajay Goyal had given the order to transfer the case to the CBI.

In the course of conduct of the investigation, the CBI shall ensure that no officer from the Himachal Pradesh Cadre shall be a part of the Special Investigation Team constituted for investigation, the order said.

The judgment said that "the court is of the considered view that in this case, there is an exceptional situation which requires that the matter be investigated by the CBI as the Director General of Police, has raised grave concerns about the mode and manner in which the investigation is being carried out in his status report".

The report of the inquiry conducted by an officer of the rank of Additional Chief Secretary (Home) has not seen the light of the day. This inquiry report casts serious aspersions on the conduct of the superior officers of Vimal Negi and raises fingers on the impropriety exercised by them to allegedly confer favours over a project proponent, it said.

"The affidavit of the Superintendent of Police, Shimla, demonstrates that no concrete inquiry in this regard has been made by the SIT till date suspicious circumstances.

"Therefore, to give credence to the investigation so that the matter is investigated impartially, this court allows this petition and directs that the investigation in the matter be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation by the State Police, which shall carry out investigation in the matter, in accordance with law," the order said. PTI BPL RT RT