HPPCL Chief Engineer’s death: Sukhu cracks whip, asks DGP, Shimla SP, addl Home secy to proceed on leave

The CBI Tuesday registered an FIR under sections 108 (abetment to suicide) and 3 (5) (common intention) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), in the Negi death case. The FIR was registered in New Delhi on the basis of the case filed by Shimla police on March 19. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Brijendra Prasad Singh would be the investigation officer in the case, a CBI spokesperson said.

The Sukhu government, meanwhile, handed over the additional charge of the state police chief to DGP (Vigilance and ACB) Ashok Tiwari, while Solan SP Gaurav Singh has been given the additional charge of the Shimla SP. ACS Sharma, meanwhile, has been stripped of all responsibilities.

Earlier in the day, Sukhu called on Governor Shukla, the meeting coming amid mounting pressure on the government to take action over the indiscipline in the state police force.

Sukhu was not in the state when SP Gandhi had on Saturday publicly hit out at the DGP alleging that he filed a misleading status report in the high court questioning the probe by the SIT (led by Gandhi) in Negi’s death case due to ulterior motives. The next day, DGP Verma, in a letter to ACS (Home), recommended immediate suspension of Gandhi for making “unsubstantiated and inappropriate allegations against senior government functionaries and constitutional authorities”. The letter was leaked to the media. ACS (Home) Sharma had conducted a fact-finding inquiry into Negi’s death.

Sukhu, after returning to Shimla on Monday, had said it will be probed who leaked the DGP’s letter. Sukhu had also said that ACS Sharma had submitted his fact-find report to the high court bypassing the office of the Advocate General. The CM said he has sought legal opinion on why the senior officer did not get statements of HPPCL officials accused in the case despite him asking for it. DGP Verma too had submitted his affidavit in the high court bypassing the AG office.

After meeting Governor on Tuesday, Sukhu held a meeting with Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Advocate General Anup Kumar Rattan and Secretary (Power) Rakesh Kanwar and other top officials at the Chief Minister’s Office. The meeting lasted over three hours, during which the chief minister was informed about the sequence of events leading to the fallout between the two police officers, sources said.

A senior government official said, “The chief minister expressed his strong displeasure over the recent developments, including the submission of affidavits by the DGP and the ACS bypassing the office of Advocate General and Shimla SP holding a press conference against his seniors”.

Principal Media Adviser to CM, Naresh Chauhan said, “The chief minister made it clear that nothing was wrong with the high court order, but indiscipline and how the officers — the DGP, Shimla SP and ACS — acted without taking into confidence each other is not acceptable. All three have been asked to proceed on leave, and show-cause notices have been issued to both DGP and SP for indiscipline”.

In a notification late in the evening, the government said that Additional Chief Secretary Kamlesh Kumar Pant would hold additional charge of the Home, Vigilance and Revenue departments, Secretary Kadam Sandeep Vasat would hold additional charge of the Jal Shakti department and Secretary Rakhil Kahlon would hold additional charge of the Tribal Development department. All the departments were previously with ACS Sharma.

Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited chief engineer Negi had gone missing on March 10 and his body was found on March 18. On his wife’s complaint a case of abetment to suicide and joint criminal liability under BNS against HPPCL Director (Electrical) Deshraj and Managing Director Harikesh Meena was registered.