Himachal CM assures full cooperation with CBI in Vimal Negi death case

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced on Monday that his government will fully cooperate with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the probe into the death of Vimal Negi. He said they would not challenge the high court's decision that handed over the case to the CBI. However, he disagreed with the court’s direction that no officer from the Himachal Pradesh-cadre should be involved in the CBI team.

Vimal Negi, the Chief Engineer of the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL), went missing on March 10, 2025. His body was found on March 18 in the Bhakra Dam area in Bilaspur. The case drew massive public attention after his family members staged a protest outside the HPPCL office with his body, demanding a CBI investigation. Initially, the state government did not agree to their request, which led his wife, Kiran Negi, to move the Himachal Pradesh High Court seeking a CBI probe.

CM assures full support

While speaking at a press conference in Shimla, CM Sukhu stated, “We will cooperate with the CBI and share all documents related to the case. We won’t appeal the high court's order because Vimal Negi should get justice.” He said he had already asked the Director General of Police (DGP) Atul Verma to hand over the case to the CBI before the court's order.

However, Sukhu disagreed with the court’s condition that no Himachal Pradesh-cadre officer should be part of the CBI team. He felt that the involvement of local officers would not necessarily affect the fairness of the investigation. Still, he stressed that the government’s main goal is to ensure justice for Vimal Negi and to find out the true reason behind his death.

The high court, in its May 23 order, had directed the CBI to take over the case from the state police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was being led by Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP) Sanjeev Gandhi. The court also instructed that no Himachal officer should be linked to the investigation team to maintain the integrity of the probe.

Meanwhile, a major internal conflict within the state police force has come to light. SP Sanjeev Gandhi, who was leading the initial SIT into the case, made serious allegations against DGP Atul Verma. On May 24, SP Gandhi held a press conference where he accused the DGP’s office of interfering in the investigation, misusing power, and trying to block justice.

According to Gandhi, the DGP’s office attempted to derail the investigation and even tried to influence court proceedings by filing false affidavits. “I was harassed for taking action,” Gandhi said, adding that whenever he and his team moved against powerful people, they faced resistance from within the police system.

Gandhi also revealed that his team had collected important forensic evidence in the case, including a tampered pen drive. “Some key digital evidence had been formatted. But we were able to recover it and present it in court,” he said. He claimed the SIT failed to do its duty because of pressure from top officials. Gandhi asked for protection from the court and assured that his fight was not personal but meant to ensure justice for Negi’s family.

CM rejects BJP’s allegations

After the high court’s order, Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur demanded the resignation of CM Sukhu, blaming him for a failure of the constitutional system in the state. Thakur alleged that the entire system had collapsed in handling the Vimal Negi case. CM Sukhu responded by accusing the BJP of politicising the issue. He admitted that the DGP had suggested changes to the SIT, but he refused those suggestions, suspecting political motives.

“Indiscipline will not be tolerated. The BJP is playing politics. My stand was clear – let the SIT do its job,” Sukhu said. He insisted that political pressure should not decide police investigations and that any changes in the SIT should be made carefully.

One day after SP Gandhi’s press conference, DGP Atul Verma recommended his suspension. In a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Verma said Gandhi had committed misconduct, disobeyed orders, and failed in his duties. The DGP accused Gandhi of making unverified and harmful statements about the Chief Secretary of the state and other senior officials.

Gandhi had also spoken about the National Security Guards (NSG) and the Government of India in his press conference. According to the DGP, such comments during an ongoing investigation could damage the relationship between the state and central governments. He attached a video of Gandhi’s press conference in a pen drive for review and record purposes.

The letter stated that Gandhi’s remarks were inappropriate and could bring embarrassment or strain between governments. The DGP also viewed Gandhi’s actions as a challenge to the chain of command within the police force.

After facing backlash, SP Gandhi applied for leave to protect himself and his team from further harassment. He also moved the court to ensure that the evidence collected by his team was not tampered with after the CBI takes over.

In his press conference, Gandhi stressed that he and his team had made significant progress despite repeated attempts to stop them. “The DGP’s office is already under scrutiny in several FIRs filed by Shimla Police. As soon as we tried to investigate powerful people, there were efforts to block us,” Gandhi said.

He also claimed that digital evidence, especially a tampered pen drive, was crucial to the case. He blamed the SIT, which was formed under the DGP's guidance, for failing to protect the integrity of the investigation.

Gandhi ended his statement by saying, “This is not a personal fight. I am committed to justice for Vimal Negi’s family and to defending the honest work done by my team.” He urged the judiciary to take note of the situation and protect the ongoing investigation.

Timeline of events

• March 10: Vimal Negi goes missing.

• March 18: His body is found in Bhakra Dam, Bilaspur.

• March 19: Family protests outside HPPCL office with his body demanding CBI probe.

• May 23: Himachal Pradesh High Court directs the CBI to take over the case.

• May 24: SP Gandhi holds press conference accusing DGP Verma of interference.

• May 25: DGP recommends SP Gandhi’s suspension for misconduct.

• May 26: CM Sukhu addresses the press and agrees to cooperate with CBI.

The case has stirred political debates across the state. While the government claims it acted responsibly, the opposition is blaming it for mismanagement and failure to provide justice quickly. Many believe that had the government accepted the demand for a CBI probe earlier, the situation would not have escalated.

Citizens and civil society groups have praised SP Gandhi for standing up against pressure and trying to bring out the truth. However, some officials believe that police matters should not be discussed in public until investigations are complete.

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The high court’s decision to keep Himachal-cadre officers away from the case highlights concerns about neutrality and pressure in sensitive investigations. It also raises questions about accountability within the state police force.

The death of Vimal Negi has become not just a police investigation but also a major political issue. The Chief Minister’s assurance of support to the CBI has calmed some concerns, but the internal clashes in the police department, especially the open war between SP Gandhi and DGP Verma, have exposed serious problems within the state’s law enforcement system.

As the CBI begins its investigation, people across Himachal Pradesh now wait for the truth to come out and for justice to be served in this high-profile case.