The Shimla SP has challenged the High Court’s order for a CBI probe into the Vimal Negi death case, raising legal concerns over jurisdiction and procedure.
Despite Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu recently pledging full cooperation with a CBI investigation into the death of Vimal Negi, the Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP) has filed an appeal against the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s decision to transfer the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The Shimla SP’s appeal challenges the ruling made by a single-judge bench of the high court and seeks to have the matter re-examined by a division bench.
However, the appeal has not yet been formally accepted by the Himachal Pradesh High Court, as the court registry identified multiple defects.
One significant objection was that the appeal was submitted in the officer’s official capacity without routing it through the Advocate General’s office. Additionally, several pages were reportedly illegible, and other procedural issues were noted.
The appellant has been given time to rectify these deficiencies and re-file the petition.
This development has sparked a new political controversy, with the BJP accusing the Congress government of trying to protect the guilty and obstruct the investigation.
BJP Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur stated,
“This development directly contradicts Chief Minister Sukhu’s public statement made earlier this week, in which he claimed the state government would not challenge the High Court’s ruling and would cooperate fully with the CBI,”
Sukhu, in response, has criticized the BJP for politicizing the case, asserting that no one from Vimal Negi’s family had personally requested a CBI investigation.
Jai Ram Thakur criticized the Congress government, alleging a coordinated effort to undermine the High Court’s directive.
He stated emphatically,
“The government is in panic because it fears the CBI probe will expose serious corruption. This appeal by the Shimla SP, filed under the Chief Minister’s tacit approval, is a desperate move to derail the investigation,”
The former Chief Minister further asserted that the Shimla SP filed the appeal citing the Advocate General’s consent without going through the AG’s office, indicating administrative chaos and a deliberate attempt to evade scrutiny.
He questioned why CM Sukhu had not taken action against the SP for what he termed a “blatant act of insubordination.”
Thakur also highlighted previous concerns in the investigation, including the alleged deletion of digital evidence by police, as contributing factors to public mistrust and the demand for an independent inquiry.
In a press interaction, CM Sukhu acknowledged “internal squabbling” among senior police officials and warned of disciplinary action against any officer found guilty of misconduct. However, he denied any efforts to obstruct the CBI investigation.
He affirmed,
“Our government is committed to justice for Vimal Negi’s family. Any officer found violating protocols will face action,”
Sukhu noted that Vimal Negi’s family had never personally requested a CBI inquiry but reiterated his government’s readiness to cooperate. He criticized the opposition for exploiting the situation for political gain and maintained that his administration was dedicated to transparency.
Chief Engineer Vimal Negi went missing under mysterious circumstances on March 10, and his body was discovered in the Gobind Sagar Lake on March 18. His family accused two officials of mental harassment, which sparked widespread calls for a CBI investigation and ultimately led to the High Court’s order to transfer the case out of state jurisdiction.
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