Himachal Pradesh High Court Orders CBI Investigation into Engineer's Mysterious Death

CBI Investigation Ordered for Engineer's Death

The High Court of Himachal Pradesh has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the investigation into the death of Vimal Negi, the Chief Engineer of the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPC), on Friday.

Negi's body was discovered under mysterious circumstances in a lake on March 18. A single bench led by Justice Ajay Goyal had reserved its decision on the matter earlier this week.

Justice Goyal accepted a petition filed by Negi's wife, ordering the case to be handed over to the CBI. The bench stated, 'This court believes that there are extraordinary circumstances in this case, necessitating a CBI investigation, as the Director General of Police expressed serious concerns regarding the methods and procedures of the ongoing investigation.'

Negi had gone missing on March 10, with his body found eight days later. His wife alleged that for the past six months, senior officials had been harassing and mistreating him. She further claimed that he was forced to work late into the night despite being unwell.

During the hearing on Wednesday, DGP Atul Verma raised questions about the impartiality of the Special Investigation Team (SIT). However, Advocate General Anup Ratan defended the SIT's investigation, asserting that it was being conducted fairly and without bias. Former Chief Minister and opposition leader Jairam Thakur welcomed the court's decision.