Shimla: The opposition BJP has intensified its attack on the Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government over the death of Vimal Negi, Chief Engineer of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL). Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur and BJP State President Dr. Rajiv Bindal, along with other party leaders, submitted a memorandum to Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter.
BJP leaders raised serious concerns about the fairness of the investigation, questioning how an IAS officer could be probed by another IAS officer. They argued that the Managing Director (MD) of the department, against whom allegations have been made, should have been named in the FIR instead of just the designation. The party also criticized the government for merely transferring the MD instead of suspending him.
Jairam Thakur stated that Vimal Negi had been missing for several days, and despite repeated complaints from his family, no FIR was registered. On March 18, his body was found in Govindsagar Lake. The next day, HPPCL employees and Negi’s family accused Managing Director Harikesh Meena and Director Desh Raj of pressuring him into wrongdoing, leading to severe mental stress. BJP leaders alleged that this mental harassment pushed Negi to take an extreme step.
Following protests by HPPCL employees and Negi’s family, the state government suspended the Director but only removed the MD from his post without suspending him. The family refused to cremate the body until their demands were met, leading to an FIR being filed. Subsequently, Negi’s family took his body to his native village in Kinnaur for the last rites.
BJP has extended full support to the demands of Negi’s family and HPPCL employees. The party has urged the Governor to ensure that all accused officers are named in the FIR and that the case is handed over to the CBI for a fair and independent investigation into Negi’s death and HPPCL’s activities over the past two years.
