New Delhi: The CBI has registered an FIR and launched a probe into the death of a Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) Chief Engineer whose family alleged harassment by his seniors and abetment to suicide in March, an official said on Tuesday.
The investigation into the death of HPPCL Chief Engineer-cum-General Manager Vimal Negi, a resident of Kinnaur district, was taken up by the federal agency on the direction of the Himachal Pradesh High Court after filing of an FIR on Monday.
Negi’s body was recovered from the Bhakra Dam in Bilaspur district on March 18 after he was reported missing by his family on March 10.
His wife Kiran had named Director (Electrical) Desh Raj, among others, for harassing her husband and abetting his suicide by forcing him to work till late at night without any weekly off.
In a FIR registered at a police station in New Shimla on March 19, Kiran alleged that her husband was issued threats of disciplinary inquiry by her seniors.
While registering a fresh FIR under penal provisions dealing with abetment to suicide and common intention, the CBI noted, Kiran Negi “has alleged that her husband had been harassed for the last 6 months specially by Desh Raj, Director (Electrical) and Managing Director of Power Corporation”.
The CBI FIR said, “The High Court of Himachal Pradesh at Shimla in CWP No 6508 of 2025 passed the order dated May 23, 2025 for transfer of FIR No 09/2025 dated March 19, 2025 U/s 108 and 3(5) of BNS, Police Station-New Shimla to the CВІ.”
The transfer of the case to the federal probe agency was seen as a setback to the state government which had faced political attacks for alleged attempts to shield the culprits.
The state government had earlier constituted a Special Investigating Team (SIT) after registering a case of abetment to suicide against top HPPCL functionaries, comprising the then HPPCL Managing Director Harikesh Meena, then Director (Personnel) Shivam Pratap and Director (Electrical) Desh Raj. However, the victim’s family insisted on a CBI probe.
Pronouncing the order for transfer of the case to the CBI, High Court’s Justice Ajay Mohan Goel directed the federal agency to take over the probe from the police’s SIT, led by Shimla Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Gandhi, and directed that no state-cadre officer should be attached with the CBI team for a fair investigation.
Earlier, an enquiry by a Himachal Pradesh government’s fact-finding committee, headed by Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Onkar Sharma, hinted at a toxic workplace for Negi who was allegedly humiliated by seniors and issued a show-cause notice for availing casual leave.
(IANS)
