The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Wednesday refused to grant bail to the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) Director (Electrical), Desh Raj, who is implicated in the abetment to suicide case following the death of HPPCL’s Chief Engineer, Vimal Negi.
Chief Engineer Vimal Negi was reported missing on March 10, and his body was discovered in Bilaspur on March 18. Following the discovery, Negi’s relatives protested by sitting in a dharna outside the HPPCL office in Shimla with his body, demanding justice.
Negi’s wife has vehemently disputed the suicide narrative, suggesting her husband’s death was a “murder” orchestrated through systemic pressure and harassment by his superiors at HPPCL. She claimed that despite his ill health, he was denied leave and subjected to undue stress.
In response to these allegations, a criminal case was registered against both Desh Raj and HPPCL’s Managing Director Harikesh Meena, under charges of abetment to suicide and joint criminal liability. Subsequent administrative actions saw Desh Raj being suspended and Harikesh Meena transferred.
The bail application, submitted by Desh Raj on March 21, argued his innocence, claiming he was not present in the office when the alleged suicide occurred. He also challenged the FIR lodged by Negi’s wife, Kiran Negi, stating that she lacked direct insight into the internal operations of the office which could substantiate her claims.
However, the prosecution highlighted that the investigation was still in its early stages, yet had already unearthed significant evidence, including crucial CCTV footage. They contended that Negi had been subjected to mental harassment over financial dealings, which severely impacted his mental health, evidenced by his visibly distressed state at work prior to his death.
