Bereaved family, relatives demand suspension of top HPPCL officers

Devastated by the demise of Vimal Negi, Chief Engineer of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL), his family members and relatives demanded suspension of the top officials and a CBI probe into the matter.

The family members have demanded immediate suspension of IAS officer Harikesh Meena, Managing Director, HPPCL, and Desh Raj, Director (Electrical), the two senior most officials alleging mental harassment to Vimal Negi. They refused to remove the dead body of Negi from outside the office of the HPPCL until suspension of the three senior officers is not ordered.

Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered under Section 108, 3(5) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita Act for abetment to suicide in New Shimla police station on the complaint of his wife Kiran Negi who alleged mental harassment.

The family members along with the employees staged a peaceful protest outside the premises of the HPPCL while the body of Negi was being brought to Shimla from AIIMS, Bilaspur. They raised slogans against the state government, Managing Director as well as the Director (Electrical) and blocked the road.

“This is not a suicide, this is a murder. They were forcing him to do wrong deeds as he was not willing to sign. No holidays and leaves were given to him. He was not well and his blood pressure was fluctuating. Despite knowing this, they used to call him to attend meetings” said Kiran Negi, wife of the deceased.

She further said that she has been approaching the state government since March 12 but no action was taken. “The Chief Minister told us that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a DIG will be constituted but a DSP-level SIT was constituted. Conduct a CBI inquiry of Una solar projects and everything will be unearthed,” she said.

“He was an honest officer and had two children, he could never take such a step,” stated his sister Leela Devi, while accusing the top officials of mentally harassing Negi and pressuring him, she added.

Vimal Negi went missing on March 10 from Shimla. His body was found on Tuesday in a mutilated state in Gobindsagar. The body was brought to Shimla after conducting a postmortem in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bilaspur.