Efforts to derail probe in Vimal Negi case, alleges group

Shimla, Jun 3 (PTI) A group claiming to fight for justice for HPPCL chief engineer Vimal Negi alleged that attempts are being made to derail the investigation into his death.

Vimal Negi Jan Jaatiya Nyaya Manch, a forum of tribal people of Kinnaur, also questioned the government's handling of the case.

Negi's wife approached the High Court seeking a CBI probe into death only after it became evident that the government was not willing to refer the case to the agency, the Manch's president Bhagat Singh Negi and Rajinder Singh, maternal uncle of Vimal Negi, said at a press conference.

They also wondered why the "government has become panicky" after the high court order directing a CBI probe in the case.

Addressing the press conference here, the leaders of the Manch alleged that it was "not a suicide but planned" murder.

They said that the fact-finding report of the Additional Chief Secretary, Onkar Sharma, was credible but the actions of the Superintendent of Police of Shimla, Sanjeev Gandhi, were "suspect".

The ACS' report was not provided to the fcamily, and his laptop and other belongings were not recovered. No sincere efforts were made to search Negi after he went missing on March 10 and even after the High Court orders, the SIT was reluctant to provide the record to CBI, the Manch leaders said.

Negi had gone missing on March 10 and his body was found on March 18 in Bilapsur district under mysterious circumstances. The relatives of the deceased sat on a dharna outside the HPPCL office in Shimla with the body the next day demanding action against senior officials who allegedly harassed Negi. Following this, a case of abetment to suicide and joint criminal liability under BNS was registered.

Kiran Negi had alleged that her husband by his superiors.

"Why (SP) Gandhi was so upset with the CBI probe that he filed Letters Patent Appeal (LPA) in his individual capacity after it was revealed in the high court that the evidence had been tampered with and former DGP, Atul Verma, in his status submitted that the probe was not being conducted in an impartial manner," a leader asked.

What was Gandhi's personal interest in filing the LPA, they asked.

Gandhi had moved the high court against handing over the probe to CBI or central agency "which is under control of UOI in order to avoid any conflict of interest." Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, while interacting with some media persons here, said that raising doubts about any central agency is not healthy for any state.

"It is not right for any state to raise questions on any central agency. All agencies must be allowed to function independently," he said. PTI BPL RT RT