Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 23 : Himachal Pradesh Minister Jagat Negi on Friday said the state government had taken all the necessary steps in handling the death case of HPCCL engineer Vimal Negi before the probe was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Jagat Negi, Revenue and Horticulture Minister in the Himachal Pradesh government and MLA from Kinnaur, responded to the court's decision and said, "I haven't read the order yet. Only after understanding the points raised by the High Court for handing over the case to the CBI will I be able to respond fully."
"The state government had taken every necessary step from day one. A First Information Report (FIR) was filed, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted, and a departmental inquiry was initiated. All efforts were made," he said.
Negi criticised the opposition for politicising the issue and said, "The opposition started making noise from the first day--even before the FIR was registered. This is not the first case where the opposition has attempted to create such a narrative," he added.
Citing past incidents, he drew a parallel with the infamous Gudia gang rape and murder case in Kotkhai.
"Remember the Gudia case in Kotkhai? The opposition created a lot of noise back then, too. However, there were no concrete results even after the CBI investigated that case. Did the CBI deliver justice to Gudia? This is basically a tactic by the opposition to seize the opportunity because they have no real issues," said Negi.
Addressing allegations that the family of Vimal Negi had to demand a CBI inquiry to get justice, Negi clarified that multiple investigations were already underway.
The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Friday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the death of HPCCL engineer Vimal Negi, following a petition filed by his wife.
The court's decision came after growing concerns over the integrity of the state police investigation and allegations of foul play.
Vimal Negi, a senior engineer with HPPCL, had gone missing on March 10, and his body was recovered on March 18 under suspicious circumstances. The post-mortem report indicated that he had died around five days prior to the recovery of his body.
However, the Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the state police, failed to provide any clarity about his whereabouts between March 10 and 14, raising serious questions about the credibility of the investigation.
Advocate RK Bawa, representing the Negi family, expressed satisfaction with the High Court's decision.
Following Vimal Negi's disappearance, the then Director of HPPCL, Deshraj, the Managing Director, and the Director of Personnel were named in an FIR by Shimla Police after protests by the family and HPPCL employees.
However, due to continued dissatisfaction with the police investigation, the Himachal Pradesh government formed a committee earlier under Additional Chief Secretary Omkar Sharma to investigate the matter and report within 15 days.
Despite this, no substantial progress was made, and even when the accused applied for bail in the Supreme Court, the state government reportedly failed to represent itself. The High Court took note of these omissions, highlighting the lack of seriousness in the investigation.
With the case now handed over to the CBI, the Negi family, supported by widespread public sentiment and demands for justice, hopes that a transparent and impartial investigation will finally uncover the truth behind Vimal Negi's death.