The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Friday granted bail to Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Pankaj Sharma, who was arrested for allegedly tampering with evidence related to the mysterious death of former Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) chief engineer, Vimal Negi.
Negi, who had gone missing on March 10 this year, was found dead eight days later in Bilaspur district. During the initial probe, Sharma was reportedly the first officer to recover a pen drive and several documents belonging to Negi — materials that later became central to the ongoing CBI investigation.
A single-judge bench of Justice Virender Singh allowed Sharma’s bail plea, despite opposition from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which argued that his continued custody was necessary for the probe.
Sharma’s counsel countered that his client had already cooperated fully with investigators and that further detention served no purpose. Accepting this contention, the High Court ordered his release on bail.
The CBI had arrested Sharma on September 14, 2025, alleging that he concealed or altered data on the pen drive recovered from Negi’s possession. Following his arrest, he was produced before a Special CBI Court and remanded to judicial custody.
Sharma later challenged the lower court’s order before the High Court, which on Friday ruled in his favour.
The investigation into Negi’s death continues under CBI supervision. The agency has not yet disclosed whether foul play has been conclusively established in the case.
