Himachal BJP Calls for CBI Probe into Mysterious Death of HPPCL General Manager
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday walked out of the Assembly during question hour demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the mysterious death of former Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) general manager Vimal Negi and demanding an adjournment motion to discuss the matter.
As the assembly assembled for Question Hour, Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania informed that BJP members Randhir Sharma and others had given notice under Rule 67 to discuss Vimal Negi's death. He also informed that the chief minister had made a statement on the issue the previous day and suggested that the matter could be discussed in detail during the budget debate.
Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur demanded a CBI inquiry, saying it should be discussed and termed Vimal Negi's death as a very unfortunate and burning issue. Thakur said he had met the deceased's family the previous day. He accused the government of protecting the main officer involved in the case and claimed that though Desh Raj, who was suspended by the government, has been replaced, the officer blamed by the family members is not named in the FIR. Thakur also exposed the officer's alleged involvement in the irregularities of the Shongtong project. He criticised the government's action, saying the family is dissatisfied with the state's action and demanded a fair inquiry by the CBI. He also questioned the promotion of an officer by bypassing several senior officials.
Thakur further said that the government lodged an FIR only after pressure from the family and suspended only one official, Desh Raj. He said that despite the government's assurance, the managing director has not been suspended. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harsh Vardhan Chauhan replied that the issue has already been raised in the Assembly and the Chief Minister had made a detailed statement a day earlier. He stressed that the government has taken the right action and four ministers have been deployed by the Chief Minister to address the concerns of the family. Mr. Chauhan argued that the adjournment motion should not be allowed as the family members are satisfied with the government's action.
Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi also said that this matter is very important for the government. He said that as soon as the information about Vimal Negi's disappearance was received, the entire administrative machinery was engaged in his search.
He said that after receiving a complaint from the family on Wednesday, action was taken against the concerned officials, who were not only removed but a case was also registered under abetment to suicide for the death of the GM.
Negi stressed that the family has expressed satisfaction over the government's response and clarified that Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur had not raised the issue of CBI probe in the Assembly a day earlier.
Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu also defended the government's action, saying the government has taken swift action in other cases too, like the Mandi liquor tragedy and police paper leak, where FIRs were lodged within 12 hours. Mr Sukhu said the demand for a CBI probe by the BJP was politically motivated. He said family members of the deceased had met him.
Earlier in the session, BJP member Randhir Sharma raised concerns about the government’s handling of the case, noting that while Desh Raj’s name appeared in the FIR, the name of the Managing Director, who was also accused by the family, was conspicuously missing. Sharma called for clarification from the government regarding this discrepancy and emphasized the need for transparency in the investigation.
