Shimla SP moves HC challenging order transferring Vimal Negi death case to CBI

Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP) Sanjeev Gandhi on Monday moved the Himachal Pradesh High Court in his personal capacity, challenging the court's earlier order which transferred the investigations of the Vimal Negi death case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Through the Letters Patent Appeal (LPA), Gandhi urged the high court to modify its May 23 order and hand over the probe to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) being constituted by the high court instead of handing it over to the CBI or any central agency which is under the control of Union of India to avoid any conflict of interest.

Alleging that the affidavit filed by the then director general of police (DGP) Atul Verma was ''ulteriorly motivated'', Gandhi said the scathing observations in the manner of the investigation based upon the said affidavit may be set aside. The contents of the said affidavit may also be set aside, he urged.

The Vimal Negi death case was transferred to the CBI after the DGP submitted a status report to the high court questioning the impartiality of the probe by the SIT headed by Gandhi in the case.

Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) chief engineer Vimal Negi had gone missing on March 10 and his body was found on March 18 in Bilaspur district under mysterious circumstances.

His wife Kiran Negi alleged that his seniors harassed him and demanded a CBI probe into his death. Family members protested by placing the engineer's body outside the HPPCL office in Shimla on March 19.

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